The Howling Fruit
by Arden Tenjou
Summary: The story of the 10th member of the Mugiwara crew, a ninja called Gijun. This character ate the Hoe Hoe no Mi, which allows its user to speak to animals, but also takes away human speech in the process. A somewhat tortured character seeking revenge for a lost love, but first has to learn what it means to be a nakama. Zoro x OC
1. Chapter 1

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 1

After Gyojintou, the Mugiwara crew stumbled across a somewhat desolate-looking little island, before following their new log pose. When Nami saw the island, she had insisted they stop and ask someone what the safest course might be. Usopp, Chopper and Brook were all equally concerned, and went with her. Franky elected to watch the ship, saying he had some fun things to work on, which left the others free to wander. It wasn't a big island at all, with apparently only three small towns on it, and nothing they passed looked new or bright.

"Robin-chan. What would you say about the history of this island?" asked Sanji absently.

Robin observed for a moment. "From what I can see, there wasn't any, up until thirty or forty years ago. But that might just be this town. Or else…"

The others all looked at her. "Or else?" Sanji asked, swallowing.

She was silent, staring ahead. "Well," she said eventually. "I suppose we'll find out, if it's relevant."

Sanji and Zoro both looked a little unnerved by that, knowing how Robin often chose to leave out important and frightening information, but Luffy was aimlessly ambling along regardless.

Suddenly, CRASH! A person flew through what used to be a bar room window about a hundred feet from them. The person was clutching something to his or her chest when he landed, but no other information could be gleaned from him. That was because this person wore dark brown clothing and scarves over every conceivable inch if flesh, except for the eyes and fingers.

"A ninja!" Luffy cried, then Zoro and Sanji hit him upside the head.

The person shook off the blow surprisingly easily and stood, still holding the object to his chest. He looked in toward the bar he had come from. An extremely tall man then stepped out behind him, smirking.

"How touching," he said, folding his arms. "But I only want to see it, there's no need to get so out of sorts."

The person took just one step back, was still for a moment, and then shook his head.

The tall man's smile faded into a sneer. "Why don't you ever talk, you son of a bitch? You think you're better than me?! I'm Wes Madigan, bounty 80 million beli! I didn't come halfway across this goddamn ocean to be snubbed by a little hermit! Give me that!"

The giant reached for the wrapped up man's chest, and it looked as if he would reach his target. At the last second, the smaller one seemed to easily flip out of his grasp by walking up the other man's body and then flipping over backwards out of reach.

"Pretty fancy," snarled the tall man. "But I'm getting annoyed now. I think I'm done with you." The tall man pulled out two giant whips from his belt, either one of which was long and thick enough to break bone.

The Mugiwara crew couldn't help being concerned for the smaller man, although they still had no reason to help him. Until…

"There's no point hiding it. I know what's in there. See, we've got another in our crew from West Blue like you. He says he saw you looking at it before you went to sleep. It's a remembrance, right?"

The smaller man had almost no reaction but a quick intake of breath.

"That was what he called it. And not just any old remembrance." The tall man smirked. "He said from the pattern on the back and the way you looked at it, he was just sure it must be your lov-"

Almost faster than anyone could see, the smaller man shot into the air and kicked the man hard in the cheekbone with a crunch. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji all made the same wincing noise, looking away in odd directions. Robin lifted her eyebrows, rather impressed.

"Ahh…" the tall man cried, staggering. "That's it! You're off my ship! And don't think that's let you off the hook either!"

He snapped his whips out over and over. With one hand still clutched to his chest, the smaller man was able to just barely dodge them all, moving almost soundlessly with great agility, until one of the whips headed for Robin. Now, of course, even excluding Robin herself, there were also three men with her who were perfectly capable of stopping that whip. But unfortunately for him, the mystery man didn't know that. They all saw what he was going to do before it happened, and Sanji and Luffy gasped.

All he did was move his leg a few inches to the right. The whip lost some of its forward momentum when deflected, but it still hit hard. The man still made no noise, but gritted his teeth as the cord wrapped around his leg. While he was distracted and unable to move, the other whip blasted him backward by the chest. In the dirt, he gasped for breath. Then, the one still wrapped around his leg dragged him in the dirt. And though he reached for it as the whip dragged him into the air, the remembrance (a wood and cloth photo frame) fell from his fingers. Then he was tossed into the dirt again some distance away.

At this point, all the Mugiwara crew was getting ready to do something, when the tall man smirked and brought his whip down.

"Say goodbye to your lost love," he said.

The masked man gasped. Robin realized too late she could have moved it out of the way, but none of them was fast enough to make it there in time. And yet…

WHACK!

They all gazed in amazement as the masked man, now gasping for breath and holding onto a leg which might be broken, knelt over the remembrance, the imprint of the massive whip carved into his back. He still had not made a sound. With trembling fingers, the man reached down and picked up the treasure. He just managed to tuck it inside the folds of his shirt. Then, to their disbelief, he came to a shaky standing position and faced his opponent.

"I'll do it," Zoro said, stepping in front of the man, who looked at him in surprise.

"Keep dreaming," Sanji replied, stepping past the man's other side. "I'm the authority on love here, obviously I should get to do it."

"I am clearly the one in his debt," said Robin, stepping forward. "I should do it."

"GRRAH!" Luffy complained, walking quickly past the others. "I'm the most pissed off, I'm going to do it!"

"Such an unfair man," Robin said, shaking her head with a sigh.

"No kidding."

"Nh."

Luffy got him instantly with a Gomu Gomu no Kane, which they hadn't seen in a while. It was pretty satisfying to see Magidan's head still shaking minutes after Luffy had hit him. Luffy dusted his hands and blew hard through his nostrils. Then he folded his arms and nodded to the smaller man. They now realized he wasn't all that small, just in comparison to the other. He was about the same height as Zoro, or perhaps a little shorter, which they realized as he was gazing around them in amazement.

Robin smiled kindly at him, to which he blushed and blinked rapidly. "My name is Robin. What is yours?"

Sadness flickered through the man's eyes, which Robin now realized were quite beautiful, and she couldn't help wondering what (apart from shyness) he was hiding under all those scarves. In any case, he did not answer.

"Oh. Am I that scary?" she asked gently.

He blushed again and hesitantly shook his head.

Next, Sanji gave a try. "I know. You're like me, huh? You're weak to ladies."

To the surprise of everyone else present, the man blushed worse than ever, and looked away.

"Okay. You can tell Robin-chan later then. Do you want to tell me your name?"

The man frowned, but looked Sanji in the eyes. It didn't appear to be mere shyness.

Zoro blinked in shock. "Hey…are you a mute?"

The man glanced at him, and there was a trace of relief in his features. Apparently, people didn't often guess that, instead believing him to be merely stubborn. All these emotions were somehow contained in his expression, and they all immediately felt another wave of endearment for him.

"Mute?" Luffy repeated. He peered at the man closely. "He doesn't look much like a mute to me. Ah, gotcha. That's why he hides his face. Because he looks like a lizar-"

"That's a 'newt', Luffy."

"Ah…"

"In any case, we should show Shizuka-san to our young doctor. It's the least we can do," Robin said.

"Shizuka-san?"

"Yes, because he's quiet."

"It's not his name, though."

"Will you come with us to see our doctor?"

Shizuka-san looked around worriedly, then took a shaking step back. That back and leg obviously still hurt a lot, but if he was a mute it was no wonder he never made any noises. It also might explain why he was apprehensive around doctors.

"We're not going to hurt you, dear," Robin said, and in her eyes she showed that she knew what it was to feel ostracized. "But if I don't have someone see to your wounds, how can I look myself in the mirror tomorrow morning?"

When she smiled at him, Shizuka-san blushed again. He looked away. Then he closed his eyes. Finally, the smallest of nods.

As they walked, slowly because of his injuries, Robin tried to make conversation. She felt strangely at peace with this man, perhaps because he reminded her of herself a little. "You could have died just then." He lowered his head. She smiled. "It wasn't a criticism. You would have died just to protect a photograph. You must have loved her very much."

His eyes grew moist and he looked away for a moment. Then, he tilted his head, made a vague gesture with his hands, then clasped them to his heart. Robin's lips parted, her own heart skipping a beat. Somehow, although she did not understand any verbal message in that, there was so much feeling conveyed that she almost felt like whatever it was, it had happened to her too. Shizuka-san hesitantly glanced up at her. Robin merely smiled, then continued walking silently beside him.

Nami and the others had already returned to the ship by the time they got back, and Nami was already making a fuss, saying that this island's log pose only took a few hours to reset. Nevertheless, Luffy insisted that they treat Shizuka-san before they go, which Chopper was happy to do after he heard the story.

Sniffing a bit and with a trembling lip he touched Shizuka-san gently with his hoof and said, "You're a man."

Shizuka smiled, and at that point let out a sound that was just like chinchilla chirping. All eyes turned to him. He gasped and immediately turned away, about to leave when Sanji (the closest) gently grabbed him.

He was smiling a bit. "Hey. So you're not a mute. Is it just that you're shy about your voice?"

Shizuka tilted his head. Apparently that was close, but not quite right.

"Oh, I see," said Chopper. "But how long ago was that? Have you been living as a mute that whole time?"

Another long moment of silence, which was shared by Shizuka, as they all stared at Chopper. He blinked at them. "What?" They gave him another moment to figure it out, and then he clapped his fist to his palm. "Oh. Because she was speaking rabbit language."

Sanji sighed. "You've lost us again, Chopper. Is there something we're not getting?"

But at that moment, Shizuka hesitantly limped across the deck to Chopper. In awe, he sat down before him. Then he started to sing a cicada song.

Franky gaped. "That's amazing! How many of those noises can the little silver-tongue make?!"

"Lovely," Brook said, swaying as he listened.

Chopper was nodding as Shizuka softly sang the "miiin miiin chirp chirp chirp" of Japanese cicadas. In a few moments, Shizuka grew quiet. He put in a lot of effort, and managed to turn around, so that both he and Chopper were facing the others.

"I'm going to translate, okay?" said Chopper, and he others nodded, though still in wonder. "This is Gijun."

Gijun gave a heavy, but still almost silent sigh. Apparently, it had been a long time since someone had said that name out loud.

"So, she says she ate the devil's fruit to take revenge against-"

"Woah, Chopper, wait a minute," said Nami. "You mean 'he', right?"

Gijun blushed, looking conflicted.

Chopper tilted his head. "No…you mean you didn't know? You can't tell from the smell? Not to mention her feminine personal pronouns and affectations…" His words died away as he realized no one was following.

"Ah! What a fool I've been!" Sanji cried, immediately getting down on one knee before Gijun. He took her hand and kissed it. "To have treated a lady so cavalierly, can you ever forgive me, Gijun-chan?"

She looked a little confused, though not angry or annoyed. In fact she barely seemed phased.

Nami commented softly to Robin, "That's strange. She seems so shy, but she's not reacting at all to Sanji-kun."

Robin chuckled, a little pleased. "Indeed. How interesting."

Zoro coughed. "She was blushing like crazy when Robin only smiled at her." This caused the Nami-Luffy-Usopp section to snort with contained laughter.

Sanji's smile seemed to break apart gradually. Then his memory kicked in and he asked with a trembling voice, while still holding her hand, "Gijun-chan…you're…you couldn't be…"

"Okay, leave the poor girl alone," said Usopp, as he and Nami extricated a shell-shocked Sanji from her.

"To continue," said Chopper, looking grave. He sighed. "Gijun would admit herself that her story is not a happy one." The young woman's head drooped a little, though she still looked much relieved to have someone who could speak for her. "It started when her lover was murdered by a pirate."

There was a general intake of breath, and Zoro tried to meet her eyes. "You mean…that picture you carry, the person inside was murdered?"

She nodded slightly.

"Gijun says she was already a soldier, but she knew she wasn't strong enough to cross the grand line to find her lover's killer. So she stole a devil fruit and ate it, not knowing what it was."

"What was it?" Luffy asked, blankly.

Gijun made a cooing sound like a dove.

Chopper then translated, "The Hoe Hoe no Mi. The howling fruit. She can speak with animals, and has some other powers too, she says, but in exchange, she can no longer speak human words."

Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "Them's the breaks."

"Poor thing," Nami said.

"So, my dear, are you saying you made it all the way here alone?" Brook asked, leaning down to speak softly. "It sounds all but impossible. Believe me, I know! I was stuck on my own for fifty years when I lost my nakama!"

Chopper said nothing, because Gijun was silent for a time. It wasn't clear whether she'd had that habit before or only after eating the hoe hoe fruit. Then, eventually, though she didn't seem to have made any noise, Chopper said, "She says…she survived with these."

Gijun reached into a pouch at her hip, then laid out the contents on the deck. When they saw them, they all felt a little uncomfortable. It was a stack of bounty posters. Many of them, in fact some with bounties approaching Sanji's or Robin's, had X marks on them.

Zoro scoffed. "So there was more than one, then. A pirate hunter. A pretty good one too, apparently."

Usopp cautiously backed away and tapped Luffy on the shoulder. "I think we've overstayed our welcome," he said, through one side of his mouth. "We should dump the dangerous bounty hunter and be on our way. Yes?"

Gijun nodded. She looked around at them, and again she seemed not to be making any noise, but Chopper was able to translate.

"She says…Long-nose is right. She was hesitant to come aboard anyway once she realized we were pirates. She didn't want to compound upon a debt she couldn't repay." Then Chopper himself sighed. "Of course we don't care about that." Then he became hesitant. "Though…we might…care a little about whether or not you're hunting us…"

She looked him hard in the eyes, then barked like a fox and made some chattering noises for a while.

"Oh…" Chopper said, looking embarrassed.

"What does she say, Chopper?" Luffy asked.

"She says it would be out of the question. She would never renege on a debt of honor, especially when the gummy one saved her life. Besides, she says she might be able to handle Robin, Franky or Brook individually, but with all the others, plus Sanji, Zoro and Luffy present, she's not fool enough to try." Chopper blushed. "She also…trusts us not to harm her after showing herself honestly."

Sanji bit his lip, holding his chest. "Why does my chest ache so? I know it's wrong, and yet…!"

"You're acting weirder than usual, give it a rest," Zoro growled in annoyance.

"Well, Captain, what's the verdict?" asked Robin, smiling.

Luffy frowned. "I don't really get it. But fix her up. Then we go."

Gijun met his eyes for a moment, then she bowed deeply.

"_Katajikenai_," Chopper translated. ("I am forever in your debt.")

Chopper brought Gijun into the infirmary, where most of the crew followed, wanting to talk to her more.

"Is it bad?" asked Luffy.

Chopper had her behind a screen while he was examining her back and thigh. "Pretty bad," he said. "This hip's not right, though I don't think the femur is fractured. Just badly bruised. It's hard to believe, considering how little pain is showing on her face, but from the way it's locked up like this, I think the hip joint is dislocated. If so, it should be fine, but it'll need surgery. It's got to be very painful. The back is worse, though. I can see internal bleeding, which needs surgery right away. Pay attention, Gijun, you would have died from this! The spine is fractured, and at least two ribs broken. If it was Zoro or Sanji, I could believe it, but these injuries are massive, considering her behavior."

Nami was biting her thumb nail anxiously. "We just met, but somehow I'm really worried about her."

"Hm," Robin commented. "Perhaps it's the way she doesn't speak. I find it adorable."

"Okay, I'm going to prep for surgery, so everybody out. I'll need an assistant for this. Maybe Nami-"

There came a series of yips like a wild dog.

"Wait…are you sure?"

Bark.

"I take that back. Gijun says she'd rather a man help instead."

A few glances were exchanged around the room, and slowly, understanding crept over a few faces. Nami slapped her fist against her palm with a smile. "I figured out why I like her."

Robin chuckled. "Because she likes you, you mean."

"Maybe so. Anyway, who do you want?"

"Hmm…well, if I could have a man, a strong one would be better. Is Zoro still there?"

"No, he went up to exercise."

"I think he'd be best. I'll need someone to help me put her hip back in place."

They got a hold of Zoro, who reluctantly agreed to help. Chopper and Zoro worked in silence for a time, though neither commented on the thing that none of the others had seen. A tattoo across her back, which was merely the first kanji in her name, which held the meaning, "loyalty, honor and justice".

Zoro observed this with mild disdain. "A soldier, was it?" he muttered.

Though she had her eyes closed and was on a lot of anesthetic, he knew she heard. Yet she remained silent.

"That guy said you were from West Blue, right? Is that where they used to have all those legends about ninjas?"

Her eyes opened slightly without looking at him, but she still said nothing.

Zoro scoffed. "Hey, it's none of my business. I'm not judging. And I'm just guessing, but it wasn't your lover either, was it?"

Gijun's eyes fluttered, and several tears slowly streaks down her cheeks.

"Maybe one-sided love would be a better way to put it. Am I wrong?"

Chopper was too busy to become involved, but was looking uncomfortable with the topic.

"Is 'Gijun' even your real name, or did your elder give it to you or something?"

Her eyes closed tighter in bitter pain, and he knew he was on the mark. Several more tears fell before her eyes slowly opened again. She met his gaze as best she could white lying on her stomach. She made a soft, sad moan like a whale. Zoro watched her for a long time. He didn't need Chopper to translate that one.

He closed his good eye. "Don't worry, I won't," he muttered. Then he said, "And it's not like I don't think you're an idiot. I do. What you're doing won't help anyone. But…that's not necessarily the kind of idiocy I dislike." She watched him cautiously for a moment, then bit of tension eased from her face. "So. You've lost your ride. What are you going to do now?"

She closed her eyes with resolve, and again Chopper was not totally necessary. "Going to wait for another?" Zoro clarified. She did not react, so he assumed he was right. "I figured. You're free to do what you want. Just keep in mind, Luffy likes monkeys."

Her eyes went wide open to stare at him. He ignored her stare, and for the rest of the surgery, merely did as Chopper told him.

Surgery over, she needed a couple of hours to rest, during which time Nami was nervously watching the log pose, to make sure it didn't set. Then, without Chopper's permission, Gijun emerged from the infirmary. She walked silently and with such little presence that they found it difficult to notice her. She approached Luffy from behind and waited for him to turn around.

He did, and leapt back with a loud yell, then he returned with a grin. "I knew it, you are a ninja!"

Gijun smiled, blushing, looking a bit uncomfortable. To cover it, she gingerly bowed, still feeling pain in her back after all. Chopper walked over and translated as she said silently in deer language, "This debt will never be forgotten. In the future, you may call on me for any reason, and I will answer. You have my word. Finally…"

Luffy tilted his head.

Gijun glanced at Zoro, who was already smirking, his arms folded as he leaned on Sunny's rail behind them. Gijun took a big breath. Then she cried out in the loud, deep voice of a gorilla. It was so mismatched to her appearance that no one was able to speak for a time. She gradually grew red, feeling a fool.

Suddenly, Luffy burst into laughter and bent backward in delight. "That was amazing! What else can you do? Also, hey, want to join my crew?"

Gijun blinked in amazement. Her eyes grew teary again, she and seemed to struggle with herself. Then, to Luffy's surprise, she gingerly bent down on one knee, placed one fist on the ground and lowered her head.

Chopper, getting a little teary himself, was able to translate, "If it is your wish, I will follow you for as long as fate has allowed breath in my body. Captain."

Luffy frowned, folding his arms with slight confusion. "Hmmm…yeah, okay. But hey! Can you do a tiger?!"

Chopper bounced up and down. "I want to hear a tiger!"

Brook popped his head out from the kitchen, his face covered in what seemed to be pasta salad. "Me too, me too!"

Gijun watched them all in disbelief, as one by one they seemed to give her a nod of encouragement. Zoro was the last, who merely glanced at her, then smirked and walked away. Yet for someone who had struggled so long, simply to be heard, such small gestures meant more than she could ever say.

With a soft sniffle, Gijun held back her tears. Then he let loose a fearsome tiger's roar. The hooligans fell back from the impact, but were immediately laughing and begging for more. For the first time in the six years since she left her village, Gijun remembered what it felt like to enjoy herself.


	2. Chapter 2

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 2

They set sail from the desolate island, and Sanji prepared them a lunch as Nami got them on course. Robin, Sanji, Chopper and various others had to stop Gijun from trying to help on several occasions. Eventually, someone pointed out to Chopper than her surgery wounds were bleeding through her clothes, and that was the end of Chopper's forgiving nature. He grew into his heavy point and shouted at her until she went back to the infirmary.

"Come to think of it," Usopp said, leaning on the rail. "Having a new crew mate is all well and good, but we don't have any more room in the women's quarters. Do we?"

Nami and Robin giggled, and Nami said, "Something tells me she'd be more comfortable staying with you guys."

Then, though he was still in the kitchen, a despairing wail came from Sanji.

Nami growled, somehow unsurprised that his ears picked up such things from so far away. "Just how desperate were you the last two years?! You haven't even seen her face!" she shouted at him.

"The eyes of my heart have seen all they need to see!" Sanji replied, balefully.

Nami sighed.

"Still," Robin murmured thoughtfully. "She most likely won't be comfortable with either of us. And I think it's a little unfair for our men friends if we put her in there without their permission."

"Hmm," Nami concurred.

Usopp rubbed his chin in thought. At that moment, Zoro dropped down from the rigging and brushed his hands. "She can stay in the crow's nest."

This brought momentary surprise to the other three present. "Zoro…" Nami murmured. "Are you sure?"

"Ahh!" cried Usopp, grabbing his head. "Zoro was nice for no reason! A storm is coming for sure!"

"I'll cut you."

"But still, Kenshi-san," said Robin, looking more serious than usual. "Of course you'll be the one most effected, so it's up to you, but that seems like a lot of courtesy for someone you just met. You don't suppose she'll get in your way at all?"

"Somehow, I don't get the idea she will, no," Zoro said, in a tone that indicated he knew more than he was saying. "I'll be there in the day, she can be there at night. Simple."

"And when you're on watch?"

Zoro rolled his eyes, bored. "We'll flip for it."

The other three exchanged very concerned glances, wondering in fact if Zoro was feeling all right. Presently, Sanji called them all in to lunch. Luffy had been on the other end of the ship, but grinned, stretched his arms out to the nearest rails and propelled himself, as well as Chopper and Zoro by accident, through the door.

"Successful arrival!" Luffy said, his hat askew. He sat atop Zoro's back as he said this.

"Only for you!" Zoro and Chopper shouted back in unison, getting up from the floor.

Sanji finished setting down the plates saying, "Now, now, no need to shout. But Luffy, didn't we have a talk about what would happen if you caused a ruckus in my kitchen?"

Luffy gulped. He shook his head guiltily. "No," he said, lying like a little kid.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we did. But in case we didn't, here's the gist: Don't."

"Okay," Luffy grumbled.

Brook came in with Gijun, and courteously showed her a seat at the table. She followed his gaze, then immediately stepped back. As this was happening, in came Usopp, Robin, Franky and Nami, and all started sitting down. But Gijun refused. Luffy was about to ask Chopper what the problem was, his cheeks stuffed with fried potatoes, when Zoro abruptly got up from his seat. Stares followed him as he went up to Gijun and shamelessly leaned in to speak in her ear. To her credit, she didn't appear to be so either, until he finished what he was saying. Her head lowered with a heavy blush. She nodded her thanks to Zoro, who returned to his seat. Then she bowed to Brook, and took the seat offered her.

When Zoro took his seat next to Robin, she observed him for a moment, then smiled. "What seems to have been the problem?"

Zoro picked up his fork again. "Cultural differences," he said simply, and munched some roast beef.

"And since when are you an expert on West Blue culture?" Usopp demanded.

"Or perhaps just one particularly interesting aspect of it," Robin added, so softly only Zoro understood her clearly.

Zoro's jaw tightened with annoyance. "I'm no expert," he grumbled.

"Ahh!" Usopp cried. "Zoro is taking an interest in other people! There's going to be a flood!"

"Yeah, but we're in a boat!" Chopper said, smacking him with a smile.

"Anyway!" Nami said, once everyone was seated comfortably. "The locals back on that island said – well, they said none of the islands ahead are really safe," she added, tearfully. "But that our best bet was the one directly southwest of here, called 'Venus Flytrap'."

Usopp, Chopper and Brook simultaneously got the shivers. Usopp was making a very strange face. "Why…who…names an island something like that? They said that was the _safest_ one? What are the others, Island of Doom? Deadman's cove? The Island of the Scary Monsters Who Want To Eat Out Your Brains?"

"I know it sounds bad…" Nami began, then she sighed and put her head in her hand. "…no, I can't kid myself. It is bad. But the largest number of people survive who start out there."

"Che. Boring," Luffy muttered, looking visibly disappointed.

Then Usopp and Nami chorused, "You don't get an opinion!"

Several people started glancing at Gijun, who had been staring at her food silently. Franky, who was closer on her side of the table, seemed to understand.

"Is it your mask, honey?"

She continued staring at the food.

Sanji leaned forward over the counter where he was sitting, looking much too excited. "Y-you don't have to be afraid of us, Gijun-chan," he said, trying to control the volume in his voice.

"That's right!" said Nami, actually looking very curious herself. "I know there's a lot of uncouth ruffians here, but we'd never betray you. It's safe to relax around us."

She was still silent for a moment.

"Is she saying anything, Chopper?"

The little reindeer shook his head. "No…"

Finally, to their surprise, she nodded and clasped her hands before her face in thanks. Then she reached for her mask. Several breaths caught. She fiddled with it for a moment, and then started to eat. Sighs of disappointment echoed through the room. Her mask was such that she could open a slit just around the mouth.

Zoro actually laughed.

Robin shrugged. "When you think about it, for someone determined to hide her face, it would be pretty inconvenient to have to find someplace secret to eat meals all the time."

More reluctant sighs. Sanji was laid out on the counter, pouting.

"Oh," said Chopper. "She says the food is delicious, and thank you Sanji."

Sanji was immediately restored. "It's no trouble my dear. But perhaps, as a tip, maybe I could just see part of your lovely face? Or…is that bad?"

A long, awkward pause followed, and she looked at him quite seriously. The atmosphere was such that it almost seemed a fight might break out, and everyone but Luffy stopped eating. Finally, she sighed. She made a series of huffs like a horse, and Chopper translated.

"She says… 'Never, without the permission of my employer'."

"Employer?" asked Sanji in confusion. "You don't mean the marines, do you? I can't think of any other person who would meet that definition to a bounty hunter."

Gijun grew silent again for a time, then closed her eyes, and made a rumbling noise like an elephant.

Chopper gasped. "Oh…she says…her employer is dead. And in that case…only the person to whom she has sworn loyalty may command her to reveal her face. But that would mean…"

Gazes turned to Luffy, to his blank expression and cheeks stuffed with roast beef. Eventually, Luffy caught on to the vibe. "She doesn't want to take it off, right? So who cares."

Gijun's expression gained a definite look of relief.

Now groans of disappointment all around the room. Sanji stood up and shouted, "You cheat, Luffy! I'm giving you half rations starting now!"

"WHAT?!"

Eventually, things settled down, and it was only a few hours before they reached the island. It was indeed what it sounded like; a massive jungle with a mountain at the top shaped like a Venus flytrap. They didn't see any signs of civilization, but still needed to disembark to give the log pose time to set. And, Luffy being Luffy, to have an adventure if there was one to be had. Brook, who was none too happy to have to go into that jungle, offered to watch the ship, and the others merrily disembarked.

Gijun was about to follow when Zoro's hand touched her chest to stop her. She met his eyes.

He observed her with his good eye for a moment, then closed it with a sigh and said, "I'm not going to stop you. But I don't think I'm wrong in saying you're the martyr type." She looked away hesitantly. "That guy with the whips was a lot slower than you. But you lost because you didn't want Robin, a stranger, to get hurt. Right? But this time, that's not going to work. You're our nakama, which means we fight for you as much as you fight for us. That doesn't mean you get to be a burden, but it does mean you don't have to throw away your life." Another sigh, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Well. That's all I want to say."

Zoro turned and started walking down the gang plank. Gijun watched him as he went. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowed a brief sigh, then followed the others.

Luffy, Sanji and Robin were the first to disembark, Sanji lighting up as they stepped onto the sand. He breathed out a smoky breath, observing the deep jungle, through which it was hard to see more than a dozen meters or so in a straight line.

"Is there a plan this time, Captain?" he asked Luffy.

Luffy grinned. "Find some adventure!"

Franky came up beside them and sighed. "All these vines and things are a pain though. Hey, cowboy," he addressed Zoro. "Maybe you could do us one of those…"

As they were speaking, Gijun had approached Luffy and had Chopper translate something for her, to which Luffy merely pointed. Gijun nodded and turned. She reached for two weapons strapped to her thighs, which at first looked like very slender guns with wooden handles. However, she drew them and held her arms out wide with them, at which point it was clear they were very oddly shaped knives. The reason for that shape was made clear in a moment.

She flung her arms together and released the blades. They spun through the air at lightning speed, slicing through every obstacle like a hot knife through butter. After a few moments, both returned to Gijun's waiting hands, and she slid them back into their sheaths. She looked back to Luffy and bowed slightly, holding a hand out for him to lead.

Luffy, Chopper and Usopp were all staring at her with wide eyes. "Boomerang knives…!" they all said in awe. Luffy pumped his fist and said, "So cool! Can I try?"

Gijun's eyebrows lifted, briefly evaluating Luffy's personality, and shook her head resolutely.

The others were all staring at the aftermath, which was that for about a hundred yards ahead, every piece of vegetation for a swath of about five feet wide had been reduced to thigh-level. Sanji's cigarette fell out of his mouth, while blushing for some reason.

Zoro laughed. "Not bad." He glanced at her. "Can you use those at close range, though?"

Her only answer was to draw one of them. He smirked devilishly.

"Challenge accepted." He flicked Wado out of its sheath. "I'm up for it any time."

"Hey now, no time for that," said Franky, as he and Usopp separated them.

They began to walk into the jungle, in lines of two and three due to the narrowness of the path. Usopp smacked an insect that bit him. "You know, Luffy, I'm not so sure we're going to find an adventure here. Which obviously, I'm very sad about," he said, unconvincingly. "But there's really nothing here but weeds and vines and bugs and…hey, do you smell something good?"

Luffy was already drooling. "Meat," he said, his tongue lolling out at the end. "Oi, Gijun. That way!"

Although she had been at the back of the party, miraculously the next moment she was by Luffy's side, and at his instruction, cut another swath through the jungle. Amazingly, by the time her knives came back it was obvious that the jungle soon opened out, so Luffy bounded along into the open air.

"Foooood!" he cried, running ahead.

Nami clicked her tongue irritatedly. "Oi, Luffy! Don't run off!"

They all hurried after him until they reached what he was so excited about. Indeed, the scent of food was stronger here, but what was more interesting was the fact that there seemed to be a long, open, red building that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Inside seemed to be piles of food (also Luffy by now). But though the others all went after him, Robin held back with wide eyes.

Nami glanced back at her when she noticed. "Robin? What is it?"

Robin swallowed. "I only just realized that no one's questioning why there's food here, or why there's this enormous building but no people. As soon as I thought that…well, take a closer look."

Usopp had also stopped once he heard what Robin was saying, and hung back to listen. He and Nami looked at the building again. Now the other six were all inside and sitting down at long benches before the food. It took a moment, but then their eyes widened.

"A heartbeat…" Usopp whispered.

Robin nodded. "Those roof tiles…the support pillars, the curtains, benches. Everything is the same color red, and everything is rhythmically pumped by an enormous heartbeat. That building is alive." With a shaking voice, she turned to Nami and said, "And I think I've discovered why they call this place 'Venus Flytrap'."

Nami gasped. She screamed to the others, "Get out! Don't touch the food!"

Sanji turned with a smile. "What did you say, Nami-san?"

At the end of his sentence, he touched a support beam. There was an instant of stillness that comes when one knows something bad is about to happen, and Sanji's smile faded. Then, the whole building snapped shut, and pulled itself into the mountain behind.

"Everyone!" Usopp screamed.

Nami wrung her hair. "Luffy…you moron…you overeat your whole life and now you get eaten by a plant?!"

To be continued.


	3. Chapter 3

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 3

Sanji lit up. He breathed in. He let out a long, smoky breath.

"Well. I can honestly say I've never been in a plant's stomach before."

Luffy was the most upset though. "Who cares about that, this stupid plant, all this food is fake! And it still smells so good!" He plastered himself against one of the walls as if he could get out by wishing.

Sanji sighed. "Hey, Franky. How about a rocket blast or something? Lasers?"

"That might work."

Gijun held up a hand and stepped up to the wall. She pulled her knife and made a small incision in the skin of it. There was a great rumbling, and very gradually the walls became closer together, and the floor grew moist and sticky. She turned back to Sanji and Franky, and merely shook her head.

Chopper was trying to calm himself down by breathing. "It's okay. It'll all be fine. Not going to get eaten today," he said, while staring a hole in the wall and shaking.

Zoro growled. "Oi, moron cook. Can you put that out already?"

Sanji's hackles all got up. "I happen to be a chain smoker, and you expect me not to smoke when I'm stressed?!"

"Yeah, I do."

"Fine, give me something else to do. Kicking your head in, for example."

"All right, cool your jets, guys," Franky said, holding both the other two men apart easily by their heads. "We have to do some serious thinking now. So. Any ideas?"

Silence fell, but for Luffy pressed up to the wall and moaning his displeasure at the situation. At length, Zoro lifted his head. He glanced at Gijun. Gazes turned toward him, since it seemed as though he had had an idea, but he was silent for a long time after that. Eventually, he lowered his gaze again with a huff.

"Wait a minute," Sanji said. "Chopper, you're pretty knowledgable about plants, right? So if this is a some kind of Venus flytrap, how do we get out?"

Chopper shuddered. "I wish you hadn't reminded me."

"Why?"

With moist eyes, Chopper looked up at Sanji. "Because I remembered what happens to insects when they're captured by a Venus flytrap," he said, tears rolling down his face.

"Woah, okay," said Sanji, kneeling down. At that moment, the chamber rumbled again and they all looked around in fear. But it hadn't gotten any smaller. "Okay. Don't think about that for now. What are its weaknesses, can you think of anything?"

Gijun had turned back to look at the incision she made. It was goopy with what looked more like sap than blood, but more importantly, although it was a shallow slice, she had thought at first that she had perforated the skin with it. With the goop covering the wound, it was made all the more clear what she had felt the instant she made the wound. A minimal slip of fresh air. And how now, it wasn't there anymore. It wasn't anywhere. They had more problems than they realized.

"Um…um…well…the main problem is this fast defensive reaction this particular plant has."

Franky nodded. "Otherwise we could just blast it."

"And since we don't know how long it would take for it to shut us all in again, even if we did-" Sanji murmured.

"-we'd probably be dog meat by the end," Zoro finished with a sigh, as if this was someone else's problem.

Sanji asked Chopper, "How do insects normally get out? If they get out," he added under his breath.

"Well…they mainly have problems with bigger insects. Say, if the trap didn't close all the way."

"It's a bit late for that," Zoro contributed, very unhelpfully. He folded his arms behind his head and seemed to be getting ready to sleep.

"Wait! I know, Franky!" said Chopper.

"Hm?"

"We need some Fresh Fire."

Gijun's brows furrowed. She touched Chopper's shoulder, and spoke to him in dove language for a moment.

Chopper swallowed and nodded. "I know. That's why the timing is very important."

Luffy, at the sound of a plan, had stopped being depressed and come back over. "What about timing?"

Chopper looked hesitant. "Well…the truth is…an increase in temperature is the only sure thing to speed up a carnivorous plant's digestion."

There was a momentary pause. Then, "Speed up?" chorused the others.

Luffy ran up and grabbed Chopper by the shoulders. "Chopper! You lied to me! I don't want to be eaten by a plant!" He gritted his teeth and stared into the darker red bits of the plant. "This is because I snubbed the salad bar too many times, isn't it?!"

"No…" Chopper murmured. "Luffy, that's probably the least relevant fact to the situation."

So Franky continued, "Well, little guy, why don't you tell us why getting digested faster is a good thing?"

"Oh. Well, it's not, of course. In a few minutes, even without prompting, these enzymatic juices will start to simultaneously dissolve our flesh bit by bit while also keeping the rest of us fresh for days. With heat, this process would be moved up to between one minute and maybe fifteen seconds." This caused a deep, impenetrable silence in the chamber. "Of course, as Gijun says, we'll all be dead in about half an hour either way, so we won't care much."

"WHAT?!" said the entire room.

Sanji sighed heavily, holding his head. "Of course. It's air tight in here, otherwise mold and bacteria would get it during digestion."

"Exactly," Chopper said. "And that's another reason why this plan is risky. Fire will burn up even more oxygen. It all depends on whether the fire is hot and large enough to kill enough of the plants cells before its defense systems have time or energy to react. It's an all or nothing plan. I think it'll work, but I can't say for certain."

Luffy looked at Chopper seriously. "You think it'll work?"

Chopper was shaking and tearful, but he nodded. "Yes. With the right timing. But if it doesn't work, we'll die gasping in horribly agony as our flesh melts away into juice."

Luffy was the only one not scared stiff by what the little reindeer had just said. "Okay!" Luffy said, leaping up and pointing toward the sky (which they couldn't see). "All or nothing, let's go out fighting or not at all!"

Chopper whimpered. "Luffy, why does that phrasing sound like death is preferable?"

"Let's go, Franky!"

"Aye-aye, sir!" Franky took in a big breath, aimed it at the outer wall and said. "Fresh….Fire!"

At the end of this phrase, he blasted about a six foot area with extremely hot flames. The others were all blown backward by the intense temperature, while at the same time, the walls started closing in all around them. Zoro caught Chopper and was trying to protect him, but Chopper struggled to get up.

Coughing and gasping, Chopper's little voice rose up, "Don't stop, Franky! Keep it up!" But that was his limit, and he fell back down, allowing Zoro to cover him in his kaftan.

Though Luffy didn't ask for it, Gijun had leapt in front of him, and was the only one apart from Franky not shielding her face. Naturally, since hers was mostly shielded already. She stayed in front of him as the walls shrunk closer and closer around them.

"Ah!" Luffy cried, taking his hand out of the goop. It was badly burned with acid.

Their shoes started to dissolve, as well as bits of clothing and skin that were touching the walls. But soon those walls were hard to avoid, and in moments every one of them was surrounded and crying out in pain. But Franky kept going, even as he himself was running out of air. They were trapped in fire and acid with no oxygen and no way out.

Suddenly, the air got a little more bearable. Franky couldn't help it, he had to stop and breathe. As he did, fresh air rushed into them and the all gasped for it. In a wide circle the shape of Franky's fire breath, there was a gap of fresh air, surrounded by black and dying plant tissue. Chopper's plan had worked. Franky, Zoro and Gijun, those who were least injured, helped the others out. Unfortunately, as the one with the least clothing, the worst off was Luffy.

Both forearms, his legs from the knees down, and some areas of his back were all covered in acid burns. He could barely move his hands, but all he had to say was, "Is my hat okay?!"

Gijun had to lift her eyebrows at that one. Zoro said, "It's a long story." Then to Luffy, "Your hat's fine, relax."

Luffy grinned. "I knew you'd figure it out, Chopper."

Chopper, still in the crook of Zoro's arm, blushed and smiled. "Dumbass," he said, grinning and willowing around. Then he cleared his throat. "I should…see to everyone's injures."

As Chopper was treating Luffy, Gijun knelt down beside them and said something to Chopper. "Oh…um, she says she cannot apologize enough for being unable to prevent your injuries."

Luffy stared at her. "You? What do my injuries have to do with you?"

Gijun blinked. She thought for a moment.

Eventually Chopper translated, "But…I have sworn my life to protect you…she says."

Luffy cocked his head with an annoyed expression. "What's that? Anyway, I don't need anyone going out of their way to protect me. That's not debatable," he said, in his more serious voice. He looked hard at her. "Even if your intentions are good. I don't want protecting."

Gijun immediately got to her feet, taking a couple of steps backward in apparent shock. Zoro glanced up at this, though he had been resting against a tree. She stared at the earth for a few moments. Her expression became tortured. Then she turned away, and nodded once.

Chopper was looking piteously at her, though he was a little confused. Then he said, "As you wish…she says."

Luffy nodded.

Nearer to Zoro, Sanji and Franky were looking out into the jungle. "This is pretty weird," Franky was saying. "I was just sure there were some blue flowers in the undergrowth where we came. Plus there isn't any path cut through here."

Sanji nodded, lighting up and making a delicious noise after the stress from before. "And no Nami-san or Robin-chan. Yeah…hate to admit it, but I don't think we've come out in the same place we started from."

"How can that be?"

He thought for a moment. "It's just a guess, but I think the initial snap when it got us must have pulled us some distance. I did feel some movement at the time."

"Anyway," Franky said, looking back at the mountain. "We'd better take a look around, so we can get our bearings. I think I can climb that. What about you?"

Sanji nodded. "Luffy," he said, turning to him. "We're going to take a climb and see if we can figure out where we are. I'll see if I can find some edible fruit on the way."

"Yay!" Luffy cried, throwing up his arms and completely undoing the bandage Chopper was working on.

"Sit still!" cried the reindeer, forcing him to settle down.

Zoro observed all of this for a moment. Eventually, he sighed and got up, rubbing his neck. "In that case, I'll take a look around too. You coming?" he asked Gijun.

"Woah!" chorused Luffy and Chopper. Chopper said, "Gijun, how's your sense of direction?"

Gijun looked curious for a moment, then made a thumb's up. Luffy and Chopper both sighed in relief. "Okay!" Luffy said, cheerfully. "Bring me back some meat!"

Zoro caught Gijun's eyes and nodded toward the jungle. She caught his drift and drew her boomerang knives. They sliced them a straight path, which they started to follow as the knives returned. She sheathed them once again, and grew even more silent than usual. Zoro glanced at her, but said nothing for a while.

Eventually he said, "You know you're not serving a master anymore. You know that, right?"

To his surprise, several tears dripped down her cheeks, though her expression didn't change. Though Zoro was not aware of this at the time, his chest momentarily felt tight as he looked at her. She pounded a fist against her heart, and he understood what she meant.

"Yeah. It's not like I don't get that." He sighed. "Robin would probably say it's admirable. All I'm saying is that it won't help you here." He met her eyes for a moment with a stern glare. "You remember what I said earlier? That's how Luffy is. Same for all the rest of us." He considered for a moment. "All of us except for Usopp. Maybe Nami and Brook, too. Chopper, if he's having a bad day." He sighed. "The point is, they don't know who you are. And since I'm sure you have no intention to tell them, none of them expects you to be responsible for them."

She continued to watch the ground for some time, either unsure how to reply or uninterested in what he was saying. Zoro watched her, feeling unusually drawn toward that tendency lately.

At length he asked, "That dead master of yours…" She flinched. " …what was her name? Well. I ask, though I don't know how you could-"

He stopped as she picked up his hand. Into it, she drew the letters O, T, S, U, Y, and U. Zoro observed his hand as she let it go. "Otsuyu?" he repeated. She merely looked ahead again and kept walking. "Hm," he muttered. "A fancy young mistress, huh?"

Again, she said nothing. But she drew her knives, and sliced another swath through the forest.

"And…" he continued, not really knowing why he wanted the answer to this question. "…when I asked if it was one-sided love, and you didn't disagree…" She glanced at him. "…which kind of love did you mean?"

For the first time, she looked directly at him and blushed. Again, his chest ached a little.

"That blind love all you shinobi feel for your masters…" She looked away, now blushing even harder. "…or the other kind?"

In answer, she merely adjusted her mask, making her eyes even less visible than normal. Zoro frowned. For some reason, he started to feel angry in the back of his mind, but since those things interfered with swordsmanship, he pushed it away.

"I take it that means 'both'." He sighed again. "Well, that's a poor deal. I'm surprised you're still alive, after letting your mistress d-"

Zoro stopped when a tiny prick of pain alerted him to the fact that there was a knife pressed against his throat. He stared at her. From a normal human, he couldn't believe her speed. He hadn't even felt the wind from her movements.

She was looking up at him with the cold eyes of someone who had killed without remorse, more than once. Cold, and yet somehow full of indelible scars. On top of that, she was normally so docile, he had almost questioned whether she was a ninja at all. Maybe it was true what they said about pushing quiet people past their boundaries. Still, he felt no fear when he saw this. Only pity.

"Will killing me make your guilt go away?" he asked her, coldly.

The knife drew a millimeter away from his skin, but did not withdraw. Torture flickered through her eyes.

"If it will, then go ahead."

Her eyelids flickered in agony. Then then closed. Slowly, she drew away and sheathed her knife. Too ashamed to look at him, she clasped both hands before her face and bent forward slightly in sincere apology.

Zoro nodded, and they kept walking. To his surprise, at one point she turned to him, placed a hand on her heart, pointed to him, then merely tilted her head.

"Ah. Have I ever been in love?" he murmured, surprised that she was interested. He considered. "I'm not sure if it counts. We were just kids."

Gijun nodded. Apparently, to her it did.

"Then yeah, once."

She raised up her hand, and into it she drew the kanji for "name" then tilted her head again.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Remind me never to play against you in charades," he muttered, then sighed "Her name was 'Kuina'."

Her eyes widened and she tilted her head with concern.

"Ah. Yeah. She's dead too. Just like yours. Maybe that's why I'm bothering with you so much."

Gijun considered this for a moment. Then, surprising him even more, all she did was touch his shoulder. She didn't look at him, merely kept walking as he did. And strangely, in her touch he didn't feel false pity, or sadness, or condescension. Just understanding. For the first time in a long time, his heart felt the easy warmth that came with female companionship. He merely closed his eyes for a moment and let it be, for soon enough it was gone, and they continued their expedition in silence.

They returned to the clearing to find the others had started a fire, as it was starting to get dark.

Sanji looked up with a smile. "Gijun-chan! I was getting lonely with just these assholes!" Under his breath he added, "Though the biggest one went with you, so it's sort of six of one, really."

Zoro planted his foot on top of his head as soon as he was close enough.

"Hi, you two!" said Chopper. "Luffy's been complaining, so did you find any meat?"

Gijun held up two rabbits. Zoro dropped a wild boar in the cook's lap.

Sanji snarled. "As soon as I'm done cooking this, you're going to pay, you national treasure."

Luffy smiled at Gijun. "Did you have fun with Zoro?" he asked, and strangely she wasn't sure whether he was very astute or just accidentally poignant.

To the surprise of most who were watching, Zoro included, she blushed and nodded. Several jaws dropped, but none more than Sanji's.

"Gijun-chan…" he murmured, weakly. Then, "Noooo!"

It was decided they would camp for the night, since all Sanji and Franky had been able to discover from climbing was that Sunny was nowhere in sight. So after eating a quick dinner prepared by Sanji, they all started to settle down and drift off to sleep. Zoro happened to open his eyes at one point to watch Gijun's back. The more he saw of her, the stranger he started to feel. He frowned. He didn't like it, so he closed his eyes.

On the other side of his gaze, unbeknownst to him, the very object of his attention was holding a hand to her heart, as long-forgotten sensations began to warm slowly into life.


	4. Chapter 4

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 4

The next morning, Gijun's eyes snapped open. She was up in a flash, silently, crouching protectively over Luffy with her knife drawn. Whatever had made the sound that had woken her, it was still there.

She looked into the jungle. There were some signs of movement, but none large enough to account for the noise she'd heard. It wasn't a loud noise, but it was a heavy one. Heavy and sure, like a human footstep. And since they hadn't seen any humans so far, it was obvious that the ones out there could go without being seen. That was either because they were good hunters or…because they were good at another type of hunting.

As if to prove her point, an arrow suddenly came straight for her, and she sliced it out of the air. She wasn't sure the others could handle them, but she couldn't protect them all at once, so she roughly shook Chopper awake.

"Wha…" he murmured, then Gijun dragged him several inches back as an arrow hit the ground in front of his face. "Ahhh!" he cried. "Everybody, get up! Help, help!"

Sanji and Franky got up rather quickly, but Luffy and Zoro were still sound asleep. The others quickly got into fighting mode, dodging the arrows and going after the still unseen archers. Gijun remained over Luffy, deflecting arrows. Then one happened to break the skin on her forearm as it flew by. She paid no notice at first, until a sickening sensation passed through her body. She staggered, nearly falling.

"Gijun?!" Chopper cried in alarm, turning back.

Desperately, she told him in the elk language, "Poison."

The little reindeer's eyes went wide, as Gijun's strength faded and she collapsed on the ground in front of Luffy.

Luffy and Zoro awoke moments later from the sound of the elk call. Both were yawning and complaining about the noise, until they saw Gijun. Luffy's face was in shock for a moment and then turned dark with rage. He grabbed her shoulder, ignoring the arrows flying all around. "What are you doing?! Didn't you hear what I told you?! Damn it!"

He raced out into the jungle with Sanji and Franky. Chopper immediately got out his supplies and examined the wound. A few feet away, Zoro was staring in shock at Gijun's completely still body. Something was inhibiting his ability to think properly. Why was she on the ground? Why did Chopper look so scared, and Luffy so angry? Why couldn't he move or say anything?

In the end, it wasn't necessary. Their attackers fled soon after that, though Sanji managed to catch one. He too was angrier than usual, his feet burning into the man's flesh without even a word of inquiry. The man screamed in pain, trying to tell them they were the ones in the wrong. This island belonged to his tribe, the Korowai, and that it was custom to eat all enemies. Evidently they, like the island itself, were very opportunistic carnivores.

It was from him that they discovered the poison was not deadly, but merely a paralytic. Having said that, Chopper explained, her organs could start to shut down if they didn't get an antidote in the next few hours, depending on the poison. Zoro was still in shock, but not about Gijun anymore. It was his own reaction to the situation he couldn't believe. A swordsman, rendered useless as stone by a fleeting emotion. It made his stomach twist with self-hatred.

It took Chopper a few minutes (the tribesman wasn't saying anything more) to figure out the plant on which the poison was based. He sighed with relief. "All right. _Atropa belladonna_. This could be very bad if left alone, but it's all right if we can find some Jaborandi bushes. There must be some on the island, or the native people wouldn't use this poison."

Sanji pumped his fist. "Just tell us where to look!"

"No, I should come with you. There's…nothing really I can do for now. And you don't know what it looks like. Just let me take another look at her condition, and we'll go right away."

Chopper opened her eyes, checked her pulse and listened to her heart. Sanji and Franky were ready to go, already discussing which way was least likely to run into the natives again. Luffy and Zoro hung back. Zoro was looking conflicted for a moment as he watched Gijun, then his eyes turned to Luffy. Their captain had a dark expression on his face.

"Will she die, Chopper?"

Chopper gasped, about to deny it, but then he saw the look in Luffy's eyes. It was not the one of someone that wanted false optimism. Chopper sighed. "Nightshade is very poisonous. The smallest variation in strength of the mixture can lead to coma in some people and death in others. She's not dead now, which is a good sign. But once she's in this state, we have a limited window to help. I would say…if we don't administer the antidote within the next two hours…then…" Chopper got a little tearful. "Then…her chances go down quickly."

Luffy nodded. "Okay."

"Wait!" Chopper said, then got out a pencil and some paper. "I have an idea. It's really faster if we split up. Here…you're looking for a short, green bush…with a long stem of red berries. They may be blooming in this weather, so they might have star-shaped, brown flowers. Here," he handed three sheets of paper to Luffy, Sanji and Franky respectively. "Zoro," he said, turning to him. "I don't feel safe leaving her here alone. Will you stay?"

Zoro's jaw tightened. However, he merely nodded.

Luffy clutched his paper and addressed them all, still with his dark expression. "This is the life of our nakama. Don't rest till you find it."

"Right!" cried Sanji, Franky and Chopper, and then they all split up and ran into the jungle.

Zoro watched after them for a long time. He lowered his head briefly. Without anything in particular to do, he sat down with Gijun at his back, and folded his arms in silence. Eventually, though he didn't want it to, his attention turned back to her. He shifted slightly to watch her face. The frown he already had deepened.

"Oi, ninja," he muttered, softly. "Can you still hear in there?"

Her eyelids fluttered in response, though she didn't seem to be able to open them fully. Zoro's chest ached, and he looked away immediately. What was wrong with him? This whole time, his emotions were all going strange, and it made him feel somehow afraid. Cowardly though it was, he decided to take his inner conflict out on someone else.

"Do I need to say it? This is exactly what I warned you about on the ship."

Of course, she didn't have any response for that. He glanced at her anyway, then gritted his teeth and looked away again. He was silent for a while, unable to think of anything else to say, and knowing on some level that he should stop talking. Then something occurred to him that he would regret for a long time afterward. He glanced at her with a hint of cruelty.

"I don't know how many times you're going to have to learn this lesson," he muttered. "But I can think of one way to snap your mind out of this master/ninja thing." Her breath caught, and understandably so, for she had more or less guessed what he was thinking.

Zoro looked at her for a long time. He raised his hand. He brought it within inches of her face, all the while her breathing becoming fast and harsh in fear. His eyes narrowed cruelly.

"Normally I supposed you'd have cut my hand off by now. But you can't do that now." Amid her harsh breathing, he thought he heard soft whining like a dog. His chest ached again, and once again his anger at himself reared its head. "If I take this off now, would you realize you're an ordinary human being? I wonder."

His hand grew closer, and he could just see tears forming amid her eyelashes, and beginning to drip down across her nose. Zoro's insides felt torn up with all sorts of things at that moment; so much he couldn't calmly examine them, he just knew he felt terrible. Slowly, he withdrew his hand. The moment he had, guilt overwhelmed him, and he rested his head on his propped up knee. He realized Gijun was still breathing hard.

"Relax," he muttered, hating the sound of his own voice. "I'm not going to touch you."

Nevertheless, though it slowed a little, her harsh breathing continued and a few more tears fell, occasionally punctuated by soft whimpering. Everything just drove Zoro's self-hatred deeper. He had to do something. He couldn't feel like this anymore, or he felt like he'd never be able to hold a sword with a calm heart and mind again.

For now, he knew her presence was unavoidable. If possible, he didn't want to interact with her anymore. Ever. But he knew Luffy had accepted her, so they were nakama now for better or worse. He'd just have to reduce his time with her as much as possible. He didn't want this confusion anymore.

"Hey, big fella," came a soft voice.

Zoro was amazed he hadn't heard anyone approach, and was on his feet with Kitetsu drawn in less than a breath. He didn't see anyone, not that he expected to.

"Hey, we want no trouble with you," said one of the tribesmen, still hidden in the jungle. "But that's our quarry you've got there." Zoro glanced at the paralyzed Gijun. "She's ours fair and square. If you give her up, we'll leave you alone."

Zoro considered, then he glanced skyward in contemplation. "I assume by your omission that I would be the only one safe from you. In other words, the others with me would all still be in danger."

"Still?" asked one of them with the sound of a smirk.

Zoro's heart flew into his throat. "What are you smiling about?" he asked in a deadly whisper.

He heard a few chuckles. "Let me make something clear. We've been watching you ever since you arrived, and you never saw us. You think we couldn't follow you anywhere on this island? I honestly don't know if we have your friends yet, but we will."

Another went on, "All we're talking about is you. And all you have to do is hand over that girl. Not such a bad deal, is it?"

Zoro glanced down at Gijun. To his annoyance, she looked perfectly calm, the total opposite of when he's been about to remove her mask moments ago. He gritted his teeth as he realized: She thinks I'm going to sell her out! She's convinced, the moron!

Zoro's petulant side flared up and he said loudly, "That sounds like a pretty good deal to me." No reaction from Gijun whatsoever. Apparently she was also absent of a sense of irony. Zoro growled and shook away his anger, then sighed. "But, well. The thing is, I'm under orders, more or less. So, unfortunately for both of us, I'm afraid the only way you're getting her is-" his voice suddenly dropped to a terrifying growl, "-over my stinking corpse."

With that, suddenly the air was full of arrows. Zoro closed his eyes and calmly felt their presence in the air. He drew Shuusui in an instant, and in nitouryuu, sliced or deflected every single arrow. The task itself was no problem, but he had to be extremely careful that none of the arrowheads touched either him or Gijun. Without Chopper having to tell him, he was sure enough a second dose would kill her. And then things got difficult.

The natives ran from the bushes and began attacking him with spears, while throwing rocks. He was used to fighting against numbers, but not against poison, so it took all his concentration. Then, disaster. One of the men hooked his foot into Gijun's collar while Zoro was looking away and dragged her a few feet away. Zoro's breath caught, and he lost concentration for an instant.

One of the spears brushed his neck.

His eyes widened. He sliced the man holding it, but the damage was done. He was starting to feel sick. Luckily, it hadn't broken the skin, but the poison was potent enough to start affecting his motor functions with just a touch. Zoro gritted his teeth. Forget about it, he told himself. Can't think about that now. If I go down, we both die. That's it. I have to…

He staggered. But he did not fall. He stood above Gijun still with a sword in each hand. He glared up at the natives who were still standing.

"Come and get her if you can, chicken shits," he snarled.

Though many looked terrified, they still began to attack again. This time, though he was making sure he kept some attention on Gijun, he wasn't paying good enough attention to his own back. A rock hit him on the shoulder. He grunted in pain, but couldn't let up his attacks. Every second that he staying standing was a fight against his own body. And though he had had the good sense not to think about this, their chances for survival were dwindling. Quickly.

I'm not going down, he thought to himself. The future best swordsman in the world can't let a girl die in front of him. I don't care if she does rattle me. She's not dying here, and I'm not dying here.

His legs stopped responding. He gritted his teeth.

You're not dying here, stupid woman.

He sliced a native, and missed another rock that hit him on the back of the neck.

I can feel you giving up hope from all the way over here. Knock it the fuck off.

Another rock hit him against the temple, and he collapsed on one knee, panting as blood dripped steadily down his face.

As his consciousness drifted off, he thought: We're not dying here.

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 5

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 5

"Midori boshi: Take Jabe-rin!"

Zoro's eyes flew open. With three small explosions, suddenly bamboo shot up all around him. That was the end of the natives. To his disbelief, Usopp and Robin stepped out from the undergrowth.

Robin smiled. "I hope we're not interrupting."

"Captain Usopp to the rescue, as always," Usopp contributed, tapping Kuro Kabuto on his shoulder.

Zoro rolled his eyes. He cut down several stalks so that they could get to him, then his legs let go and he sat down heavily.

"Zoro!" Usopp cried, kneeling in front of him.

Robin looked at Gijun with concern. "What happened here?"

Zoro sighed. He didn't have much energy, but he briefly explained the situation. Usopp was taken aback.

"Well, we'll go look too! What does it look like?"

Zoro scowled. "How the hell should I know? I just remember him saying it had red berries, or brown flowers if it was blooming."

"Okay…" Usopp said hesitantly. "Well, that's enough. We can just bring something back and see if it's right."

Robin rested a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think that's wise, Nagahana-kun."

Zoro nodded. "I don't think I can stand up. It's shameful, but I doubt I'd be able to protect myself, much less someone else." He glanced at Gijun. "And she's in a bad way."

Usopp gritted his teeth. He nodded. "Is there anything we can do?"

Robin was contemplating. "I believe our Senin-san was right when he said the natives would only use a poison they had an antidote for."

"So?"

Usopp's eyes widened. "Genius, Robin!"

"What's genius?" Zoro asked bitterly.

Usopp immediately got up and, with a horrified grimace, started going through the pockets and bags of all the tribesmen.

"Oh…" Zoro muttered. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Well, we all have our strengths," Usopp said idly.

"Did you just call me stupid?"

Usopp laughed awkwardly. In a few moments, he came back with an array of pouches and herbs. He and Robin exchanged glances. "How do we know which is the right one?" Usopp murmured, despairingly.

"It's true, we must tread softly. Many of these might be poisons themselves."

Usopp flinched and then a shiver ran down his whole body, since he was still holding the pouches with bare hands. "Wh-what do we do?"

Robin smiled, then merely pointed up. Usopp followed her gaze for a moment, then he grinned.

"Coming right up," he said, placing the pouches on the ground. He pulled out a pellet from his bag and aimed his Kabuto at the sky. "Kuro Kabuto…Aka Hebi Boshi!"

He released his fingers. A snake of red smoke slithered into the air, high enough that it could be seen from the whole island. Of course, they couldn't be sure who was paying attention, but luckily the right person was.

A few minutes later, a reindeer burst from the undergrowth, panting, holding some bush branches in its mouth. Chopper gazed around and then started to tear up. "Vu foum uf!" ("You found us!")

Usopp grinned at him. "Hey, Chopper! But come quick, help us with this!"

Chopper quickly came over and placed the branches on the ground to follow Usopp's gaze.

"There were in those guys' pockets," he said, gesturing around them.

Chopper gasped, as if noticing for the first time that they were there.

"But we don't which one, if any, is the antidote. Can you find out?"

Chopper thought for a moment, then nodded, going into his Brain Point and getting out his supplies. "I can at least eliminate the poisons. But listen, I've found the right herb, but it will take at least an hour to prepare. It will be much better if we can find the antidote here, but in either case, I'm going to need lots of water. Did you pass any sort of water on the way here?"

"Uhh…" Usopp thought back nervously.

"We did," said Robin. "If you would be so kind as to stand guard, Nagahana-kun, I will go and fetch some." She smiled.

Usopp nodded hesitantly, holding Kuro Kabuto tighter. "Go ahead, I'll be here."

It was not long before Sanji and Franky, both having seen the signal, came back. Sanji also had some of the herb in his hand. They saw Usopp and their eyes widened.

"Usopp, you big troublemaker!" said Franky, happily slapping him on the back.

"Are the others around here too?"

"Nami and Brook are back at the ship. Robin just went to get water," Usopp pointed.

Sanji grinned. He dropped the herb next to Chopper and bounded away. "Robin-chwaaan!"

"So. How's it going, little guy?" Franky asked, growing serious.

Chopper nodded. "I've got enough of the herb, but as I was just saying to Usopp and Robin, it will take some time to prepare. If the antidote is among these pouches already, the risk of permanent damage will be greatly reduced. But I'm sorry, I need to concentrate now."

Franky nodded. He and Usopp faced the tree line, diligently keeping an eye out for tribesman. Also Luffy.

Franky sighed in irritation. "Where is the little monkey?" he asked softly.

"My guess is, looking between two plants and unable to decide which is the right one," Usopp contributed.

Though he could not have known so, several hundred meters away, that was exactly what was taking place. Incidentally, neither plant was the right one.

Franky thought for a moment, then nodded. "That sounds about right."

"Also…" Usopp muttered nervously. "Do you think the signal brought…unwelcome attention as well?"

"Oh, I'm sure they're already here," Franky grunted. Usopp went stiff as a board. "They're crafty little bastards. They'll take advantage of an opening, if you give them one."

"Then…do you think Robin and Luffy are okay?"

Franky paused for a moment. He shook his head. "I don't know. Obviously they can both take care of themselves, but so can pointy knives over there," he nodded back toward Zoro, who was still sitting, leaning against the bamboo, panting softly and obviously sweating. "I don't want to say for certain. I think they'll be okay, though."

Usopp gazed hard at the ground. Seeing Zoro brought down had especially shaken him. These were people fighting with spears and arrows. It shouldn't be this way.

Soon, Sanji and Robin returned with the water. Sanji had made buckets out of cleverly folded banana leaves, and they each carried one. He smiled. "Chopper! We've got water. What should we do with it?"

Chopper gestured them closer with his hoof, though not taking his gaze away from his microscope. "Here," he said absently, pointing at the ground beside him. They complied and everyone held their breath while Chopper made his assessment.

After a few tense minutes, Chopper smiled with relief. He held up the last pouch. "This is the only antidote. We were so lucky. There's just enough for one person."

There was a moment of silence. "One person?" Franky asked.

Chopper nodded happily.

The awkward silence continued, and then, as if on cue…

Zoro's ability to maintain his balance, even while sitting, had faded. He slid to one side, then collapsed in the dirt. Chopper gasped, looking at him. His eyes went wide. "Zoro!" he cried, running over to him.

Zoro was still mostly conscious and able to move some. "I've…got…a while yet," he muttered in a strained voice. "Fix…her…first."

Chopper bit his lip as tears formed in his eyes. Shaking, he nodded.

Chopper blended the powder with water. He had Sanji hold Gijun up and tilt her head so she wouldn't have to swallow, then fed it to her with a bamboo leaf. She was able to take most of it, though a slim trail went down the corner of her mouth. Sanji watched her nervously.

"How long will it take?" he asked.

"It may be a few minutes. And you're going to want to make sure she's on her side, so she doesn't choke on vomit."

Sanji grimaced, but he obeyed, laying her down with her back to him and keeping a close eye on her.

"Now, everyone, I need you to hurry! Find me a substitute for a mortar and pestle, something like a bowl and rock maybe that I can use to grind these plants into pulp. Also we need to build a fire, and a flat rock to reduce the mixture on. Hurry!"

No sooner said than done. Two years apart had not waned their ability to work together. Usopp found two pieces of granite, one with a slight bowl shape. Robin and Sanji built a fire and Franky found a large, flat rock to put over it. They all set it up as Chopper was grinding the plant.

Suddenly, Gijun choked and sputtered. She twitched all over and then got on all fours. She had the sense to undo part of her mask. Then she promptly threw up.

"Gijun!" Chopper cried in relief.

Sanji was by her side, rubbing her back as she continued to pant for a moment. Her hands holding her weight were shaking, so Sanji helped her sit on her side.

"Make sure she's drinking lots of water," Chopper said, still intently grinding the plants. "There's no doubt she's going to throw up again."

Without needing to be told, Gijun reached for one of the buckets and dunked her head in it. They all gasped, but she quickly lifted it again, then started gulping down water.

Sanji looked nervous. "Not so fast, Gijun-chan."

Gijun lifted her head for a moment, panting. Her gaze turned to Zoro. He was shivering and sweating, and might have been unconscious, but he didn't seem to have lost his movement yet. Of course, she had heard what he'd said. She sighed.

Though she still felt sick, to the shock of the others, she pulled down the scarves around her head. As the closest, Sanji gasped, his eyes widening with excitement. But once again, they were disappointed, for the mask around her nose and mouth was connected behind her ears, not over her head. Still, it was clear now that she was likely hiding a beauty under that mask. Without the hood, they could see the top half of her face, which had gently slanting, brown, almond-shaped eyes. They had a subtle kind of beauty. She also had full, brown locks, which were mostly straight, but layered all down the back of her head like a wolf's mane. Some of her locks went astray though as she dunked her head once again, splashing water over her back and soaking her hair.

Unsteadily, she got to her knees and faced Chopper. While swaying, she spoke to him in the breathy, slow bear language.

Chopper was in shock for a moment, then anger rolled over his cute features. He even stopped what he was doing to stand up and yell at her. "You are my patient! That means no undoing the work I've done just to be selfish! Clear?!"

Gijun was silent for a moment, gazing at Zoro. Then she planted a hand on the ground before her and huffed like a horse.

Chopper gritted his teeth. "I know that. But you can't help him until you're better. No discussion. Got that?!"

Gijun glanced at the ground. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Then she leaned over and threw up again.

"That's what I thought," Chopper said, irritably.

As Chopper said, it took nearly an hour to make the mixture. Once it was done, Zoro had become very still, not even trembling anymore. Gijun on the other hand was nearly better, or at least she appeared to be. Chopper insisted she would need at least half a day to recover. Nevertheless, she could not be dissuaded, so it was she who took Zoro's substantial weight against her shoulder and tilted his head so that Chopper could administer the antidote.

Unlike Gijun, it only took about thirty seconds for him to start coughing, and then she helped him lean over. Again, unlike her, he held back for almost two minutes. Then he couldn't anymore, and threw up.

Usopp and Robin, both standing some distance away with varying degrees of disgust on their faces, both unconsciously grimaced. "Chopper," Usopp said, idly.

"Hm?"

"I'm glad I don't have your job."

Chopper sighed. "Not that I like vomit all that much, but if patients get better, then I'm happy."

As soon as he finished this phrase, Zoro threw up again.

"But…I really…don't care much for the vomit."

Not a full minute later, they heard a loud yell coming toward them, and soon Luffy emerged spectacularly from the jungle, carrying in his mouth and in each fist what looked like dozens of different kinds of bushes. Not braches, whole bushes. Most were still clinging to bits of dirt. He himself seemed to be covered in scratches, panting heavily.

"Hoohaa!" ("Chopper!") he cried. He held up the results of his labor. "Hi huh hi huh hai huhn?" ("?")

They all sighed heavily. "It's all right, Luffy," Chopper said. "Thank you for your hard work, though."

Luffy deflated with a look of shock. "Hu hohn hee hih?"

They all solemnly shook their heads.

He promptly fell backward into the earth in despair. Then he spit out the bushes in his mouth. "Ahhh! So fighting those guys was pointless!"

"Fighting?" Robin repeated in alarm.

Chopper raced over. "It's true! You're covered in poison wounds! The rest of us shouldn't even touch you! Franky, with metal hands, you're the least likely to be effected. You take Luffy to the shore and make sure he washes every wound before he comes back to get treated!"

Luffy's jaw dropped. "In salt water?! It's going to hurt like hell! Plus I might die!"

Chopper growled at him. "Then be more careful next time!"

Luffy whined the whole way down to the shore, though as usual, he showed no signs of being poisoned.

While the others were chatting and fussing over Luffy, Gijun was watching Zoro as he panted beside her. Zoro felt her gaze, and the warmth from her hands on his shoulders. But he merely closed her eyes and tried to pretend it was the cook, for example, or anyone instead of her.

They were both silent for a time. Then, to his shock, one of her hands slipped around his body and came to rest over his heart. Like a tiny horse, she nickered softly in his ear. He shut his eyes tight, for despite how sick he felt, his heart started to flutter. Worst of all, he had no idea what she meant by this gesture, apart from gratitude. Was she feeling the same uncomfortable, mercurial feelings as him? Or did her affection really only run towards one gender?

He bit down on his teeth. "Don't touch me," he grunted.

She didn't move for a moment, then slowly retracted her hand from his chest. She kept both hands on his shoulders, though, knowing he was going to throw up again soon. Then his whole world was shaken. He even forgot how sick he felt. Because at that moment, he felt a warm kiss on the back of his neck.

Heat ran through his whole body, and his heart felt squeezed tightly. His cheeks felt like they were burning. His heart continued to pound in his ears for many moments afterward. This brief feeling was so overwhelming, he even forgot to despise himself for it. But before he launched into struggling with himself over morality and swordsmanship, before he delved into exactly what he was feeling, there was one question that still needed answering.

What the hell was she thinking?!

More importantly, how the hell was he supposed to find out?!


	6. Chapter 6

Warning: girl x girl, fairly adult situations and coarse language.

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 6

Unfortunately, according to the native they captured earlier, the log pose would take another day and a half to set. Luffy wanted to explore some more, but the others persuaded him not to by convincing him that they had already experienced all the adventure there was to have. He reluctantly agreed to go back to the ship.

Both Zoro and Gijun were able to walk normally after another hour, though Chopper forbade Gijun from using her boomerang knives, since her reflexes might be slowed in a way that was difficult to tell yet. Once they got back, Zoro remembered what he'd said about where Gijun could sleep. He sighed. He didn't want to interact with her right now, but like him, she probably needed to rest.

He took Robin aside and asked her to set up some kind of bed in the crow's nest and show it to Gijun. She smiled in a knowing way, and agreed.

A little while later, Robin found Gijun sitting at the bow, her back pressed against the rail. Zoro was right, she looked exhausted. Robin kindly helped her up, which prompted a huge blush, and told her she would show her to a bed. Gijun blushed again, but nodded gratefully.

Robin showed her how to get up into the crow's nest. She had recruited Usopp to bring up some spare bedding, which she arranged on the round bench. She apologized that it wasn't much, but all Gijun did was shake her head and gratefully lie down. She was asleep in moments. Robin smiled affectionately. Then, though she knew Gijun's brain would probably explode if she were awake, she leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Feeling a presence behind her, Robin turned. Zoro was slowly rising from the ladder, his face dark and stormy. He stood before her, not even glancing at Gijun.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

Robin observed this change in his attitude with interest. She smiled, perceiving some fun to be had. "I don't think it's any business of yours."

Zoro's expression darkened further. "You didn't have her permission to do that."

Suddenly, Robin realized that from his perspective, it might have looked like she kissed her on the lips. That explained his anger, and also made things even more fun. Robin smiled suggestively. "Oh, really?"

Zoro's hand tightened on Wado's hilt. "You're lying."

"I haven't said anything."

"Get out."

Robin's smile became more subtle. "Very well. Then let's both go, since our princess is asleep."

"I have business here."

"What business is that?"

"None of yours," Zoro snapped, his eyes sparkling with anger.

Robin chuckled. "Fair enough. But I'll be right outside. Just in case you…need anything," he added with a very suggestive expression.

Zoro's jaw tightened, but he said nothing as she descended the ladder. Finally, he let out a sigh, and turned to take a seat on the bench opposite the sleeping ninja. He ran a hand through his hair.

"What am I doing here?"

He watched Gijun as she slept. She still had her hood down, her layered brown locks cast about her face and shoulders. Her eyes were really beautiful, he thought. Maybe not as pretty as Nami's, for example, but Nami's personality was about as attractive to him as a horny toad. It was Gijun's hushed presence that made her eyes seem so beautiful.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. What was he thinking? Why was he here? Gijun shifted a little. For the first time, he noticed that some of the acid from the plant had eroded some of her clothing. There was about a three-inch-long patch of missing fabric, through which could be seen the curve of a graceful hip.

Zoro looked away immediately. His heart was pounding. He'd never really felt lust before. Which was why he wasn't sure how to respond to his sudden rise in body temperature, or the fact that he couldn't think in very long strings of coherent thoughts. Then the desire to look again overcame his will to resist. Her hip shifted. His thoughts went back to when he'd been helping Chopper with her surgery, though now it all seemed in a different context. How he'd been holding her body. How he'd seen so much of her bare skin. How narrow her waist was. How…

Zoro suddenly felt warmth in a place he hardly ever thought about. He shot to his feet, bright red. Then, hoping no one saw him, he hurried to the bathroom, slammed the door and locked it behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, in the room he had left, a certain ninja was having a very troubling dream. Not for the first time.

…

From the time she could remember, Sumire had been taught to always be silent. Sometimes she had to speak, and sometimes she would cry out in pain from the snap of her teacher's ruler on her knuckles, but she would always be punished. Soon it came naturally. The fear of repercussions faded in favor of that which was instilled in her mercilessly by her teachers, and that which she also possessed naturally: an unyielding sense of duty. As such, her teachers took away most of her name, leaving her with "su" (also read as "jun"), meaning "purity". Then they gave her the character "gi", for "justice, loyalty and duty". From then on, she was "Gijun", and her duty was everything to her.

When she was fourteen, a young mistress came for her. Gijun had never seen anyone so lovely. She was a little younger than Gijun, and often dressed in flowing white. She had long blonde hair with sweet curls around her face. She had a smile like an angel. Her name was Otsuyu, ("dew drop"). Her family was one of the many that Gijun's clan served, and the girl's father had decided that she needed a body guard. So Gijun was chosen. It was the happiest moment in her life. She sat through the hours of pain to get her tattoo, marking her as a ninja forever, so that she could leave her clan; and did so happily, knowing that she would now have such a noble purpose.

In reality of course, young miss Otsuyu was not always angelic. She was a daughter of a noble family, and was used to getting her way, so she would sometimes ask Gijun for unreasonable things. However, Gijun merely found these requests cute, and was happy to be of any service to her. But after one particular incident, when Gijun rode a horse through a storm to get an item the young mistress asked for, she fell very ill. She thought she dreamt of Otsuyu leaning over her, crying and holding her hand. Later, she thought she must have imagined it, but strangely, Otsuyu's demands grew much less frequent after that.

If they did come, they were often very simple ones, like "sit in the drawing room with me" or "come for a walk in the garden". Though Gijun wanted to be more useful than this, she could not deny the warmth in her heart when she spent quiet time with her beautiful mistress.

Several times, when Otsuyu's various suitors got a little too friendly, with a mere word from the young lady's lips, Gijun would appear from nowhere and promptly put the fear of God into them. Otsuyu seemed to find this very funny, and after one such incident, she wrapped her arms around Gijun from behind and held her tightly with affection.

Gijun's breath halted. Heat surged through her body, and her eyes started to sting. She had so rarely been touched with gentleness in her life. And now, from someone she cared for so much…

Gijun dropped the knife she had been holding.

Otsuyu glanced at it. "Is something wrong?"

Gijun gritted her teeth and covered her face in her hands. She was too frightened to speak. But somehow, Otsuyu seemed to understand. While Gijun couldn't see, she bit her lip, and blushed while her eyes grew moist with emotion. Slowly, her hold tightened.

"I wouldn't say no," she murmured against Gijun's back.

She said it so softly that Gijun barely heard her. Later, Gijun truly wasn't sure if she did hear it. She thought it must be her mind playing tricks on her. Her body was full of so much heat and electricity, she couldn't be sure what was real right now.

As a result, she had no reaction to Otsuyu's soft statement. Though she did not know this, tears formed in the young mistress' eyes. "But I guess you can't," she whispered, and this time Gijun really didn't hear. Otsuyu held her for a moment longer, then slowly let go. She turned away.

"You may go," she said. Gijun gazed at her back. She could swear the mistress' voice broke as she said this, but Gijun could say nothing. Quietly, she left the room.

Soon, a suitor came for the eighteen-year-old Otsuyu who was different from the others. He was tall, he had a kind smile, and large, comforting hands. Gijun never met him directly, because Otsuyu never called for her when he was around. Gijun merely watched quietly. Indeed, she was so dutiful, that rather than feeling jealous or sad, she was grateful her mistress seemed to find happiness with someone who could share it with her. It never even occurred to Gijun to take her for herself.

Indeed, soon they announced their engagement. And then, the night that changed everything.

On the night before her wedding, Otsuyu asked for Gijun to help her undress, for the first time since Otsuyu was young. Gijun had managed to get a handle on her feelings, so she was able to put her mind elsewhere while helping Otsuyu into her nightgown. As she tucked her in, Otsuyu touched her wrist and asked her to sit down for a while.

Gijun would normally have refused, but the combination of the touch of Otsuyu's hand on her wrist and the knowledge of what was coming tomorrow made her sense of propriety seem less important. Slowly, she took a seat on the bed so she could see her mistress' face.

Otsuyu looked like she had never seen her before. It was not the look of an excited bride, or even a nervous one. Gijun couldn't be sure, with only the moonlight from the window to see by, but to her it looked like sadness. Sadness, and longing.

"Gijun," Otsuyu said, in her soft, sweet voice. "It's all right to speak tonight, so I want you to speak if you have something to say. All right?"

Gijun again was hesitant, but she nodded.

Otsuyu's hand was now covering hers, and it moved slightly to feel the ridges of her wrist. Gijun's heart fluttered. "Gijun…" Otsuyu said, and now her eyes were growing moist. She wasn't able to speak for a long time. Gijun merely looked at her with an ache in her heart, wanting to know why her mistress was so sad, and wanting to do something.

Eventually, Otsuyu's small hand tightened on her wrist. "Do you want me to get married?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Gijun took in a breath in shock. But she could see in her mistress' eyes that the truth was the only acceptable way to answer that question. "I…want…Ojou-sama to be happy," she murmured.

Otsuyu shook her head, a tear falling down her cheek. "You're always so slow, Gijun." She sighed, another tear falling as she looked away in exasperation. "What if I said I loved someone else? Would that change your answer?"

Gijun suddenly felt as if she had been shot in the chest. She had to stop herself from crying. Otsuyu…was in love? For some reason, Gijun was able to accept the idea that Otsuyu would get married. But to learn she was in love…and with someone she obviously felt so strongly about? That was a heavy blow.

Gijun thought for a long time, her eyes closed, about how she should reply. Slowly, she opened them. "I cannot presume to say what is best for Ojou-sama," she murmured. Otsuyu looked at her seriously. "But…if Ojou-sama can live…happily, peacefully, without fear, then your Gijun will be happy."

Otsuyu's expression grew complex, then realization dawned over her face. "Peacefully…" she murmured, more tears dripping down. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I shouldn't be surprised to hear that now. After all you've denied yourself for the sake of duty…love should be an obvious one."

Gijun looked at her in confusion. She wasn't quite following what she meant.

Otsuyu nodded. "All right. You answered one of my questions," she said, and sniffed. She was about to dab her eye with her cuff, when Gijun softly touched her hand. Gijun reached into her breast pocket, and drew out a handkerchief. She leaned over and gently dabbed Otsuyu's eyes and her nose.

Otsuyu blushed and looked at her in exasperation again. "You really are clueless," she murmured. She patted Gijun's hand to get her to stop, then held it for a long time. "Okay. I get it. Just one more thing, then." She kept her gaze on Gijun's hand for many long moments. At last, she looked up into her eyes. "I just want you to know…if you want me to stop the wedding, I will."

Gijun's eyes widened. "No," she said, suddenly. Otsuyu looked shocked. Gijun was confused, but she said, "Forgive me. Ojou-sama, if you love another and wish to marry him, then I wish you to marry him. If you do not wish to marry this man for any reason in your heart, then I do not wish you to marry him. But you must not act on my account. I am your chuuboku, nothing more. You do not ask your guard dog's opinion."

Otsuyu stared at her, tears running down her face. Then pity flickered across it. "I want to slap whoever taught you to say things like that." She sighed, heavily, and rose to a seated position. "I understand," she said, all the life drained out of her eyes. Eventually, she looked back up and Gijun. "Then I have one last request, before I become someone else's, instead of just yours."

Mine? Gijun thought, her face lighting up bright red.

Otsuyu came closer, causing Gijun's heartbeat to increase, and gently touched her arm. "I know that I am your mistress, and I may command you to do so, but if you want to, would you show me your face?"

Gijun blinked. She breathed hard for a moment, then closed her eyes. Though it was a terrifying thing for a shinobi to remove his mask, she felt no terror now. She breathed out slowly. With slow, practiced movements, she first unwrapped the scarf around her neck. Then pulled the hood off her head and set the garment aside. Her layered brown hair now fell around her face and shoulders. The last one was the hardest. She paused for a time before she continued.

Hesitantly, Otsuyu drew closer. "May I?" she asked softly.

Gijun blushed. But she could not deny this mistress anything. She closed her eyes, trusting, and nodded.

Otsuyu's dainty fingers briefly explored her cheeks and temples, then reached behind her ears. Gijun tried to ignore the barrage of sensations attacking her from these delicate touches. Slowly, Otsuyu pulled the mask away. Gijun waited a time, her heart pounding. It had been so long since she had shown her face to anyone. It was like having her chest pried wide open and her heart exposed. But Otsuyu had no reaction for some time. Then, Gijun felt a shift in the bedsprings.

Warmth met her lips. At first she was in shock. Then she opened her eyes. It was true; Otsuyu's lips held hers. Her mistress' sweet face was right before her eyes, her eyelids fluttering and cheeks red with embarrassment. Gijun pulled away immediately and gasped, but Otsuyu's lips found hers again.

Gijun closed her eyes in sweet agony, fighting against herself. But Otsuyu's small body rested warmly in her lap and partly pressed against her, her lips were so soft, and her tiny fingers held Gijun's face so tenderly. Gijun felt she might die from happiness, or else from shame. But finally, she lost the battle. She grabbed Otsuyu up in her arms and bent her backward with an inexperienced but passionate kiss. Otsuyu moaned against her lips, as Gijun's fingers ran through her beautiful blonde hair and gripped it tightly to angle her head into an even deeper kiss.

But when their lips parted for an instant, Otsuyu gasped passionately, "Gijun!"

Gijun's whole body froze. For whatever reason, at that moment more than any other time in her life, hearing her own name made the tattoo on her back ache with terrible remorse. "Gi". Loyalty. Duty. Honor. She had forsaken all of these values upon which her existence was based.

In horror, she leapt backward out of the bed and bumped into the dresser. A China figure fell and shattered, but she barely noticed. Her mind was racing, her body aching and hot with guilt and self-hatred. She glimpsed Otsuyu's sad eyes one last time, and then she ran from the room.

"Gijun!" Otsuyu called in vain.

The next time Gijun saw Otsuyu, it was at her funeral. The man she married had apparently been posing as a nobleman so that he could marry into money. In fact, he was a pirate. He poisoned Otsuyu on their wedding night. Then he escaped to the sea, and was never heard from again.

Gijun would remember his face forever. His soft smile. His warm hands. The eyes of the man who could murder an angel for the sake of a little money. She didn't know what she would do when she found him, but she was sure that it would cost her her humanity. A price she was well willing to pay.

…

Gijun gasped awake. A hard bench. A small room. Many windows. The sea. That's right, she thought, the sea. She sighed heavily. For a moment, she merely sat there, watching her hand as she rested her arm against her knee. She gazed out at the sea. Sometimes she wanted to give up. Sometimes, like today, she felt too happy and almost forgot. But she would never stop. He would never escape her, if she had to chase him into hell itself. And Raftel was the gateway.

In a lower part of the ship, Zoro panted, resting his hand against the bathroom wall. Then he heaved a great sigh and rested his head there too. "I'm fucked," he muttered.


	7. Chapter 7

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 7

The next day, Nami said that the log pose was as stable as it was going to get, and that they should go. But Chopper insisted that they just wait a little while he went to collect some samples. Most looked at him with amazement and horror. One didn't.

"All right! Let's go!" cried Luffy.

Nami and Usopp both took a hold of his face and stretched it to either side in irritation.

"Captain Moron."

"Senseless idiot."

"You want to die?"

"Useless moron."

…and various other obscenities followed.

Gijun stepped up to Chopper and Luffy and she nodded at Chopper in goat language. Chopper looked a little conflicted.

"Yeah…" he murmured. "I know you swore your life to him…but you still have the poison in your blood, I'm sure. One touch, and even the antidote won't save you. Do you understand?"

Gijun nodded, but at this point a sheathed sword caught her around the throat and threw her to the deck. Her body tensed as waves of pain washed over her. The poison was inhibiting her previous injuries from healing, and foolishly she realized she'd been taking them too lightly. She knew she was leaving some blood behind on the deck.

However, something interesting was happening above her.

Sanji had his foot planted in Zoro's chest and was yelling at him furiously. Beside him were Nami and Chopper, with much the same message. Essentially, how could he do that to an injured person.

Zoro grabbed Sanji's foot and removed it from the deep bruise it had formed because he didn't dodge it. He sighed and then replied to all their criticisms, "Morons. I did it _because_ she's injured. I know for a fact I'm not up for another fight like that yet. And I didn't have major surgery a few days ago. Huh? Am I wrong?" He put the last questions to Gijun.

She gazed at him. She wanted to get up, but the pain and stiffness in her back briefly prevented it. She paused for a moment, then she sighed, folding her hands over her chest in acknowledgement.

Zoro nodded. "Exactly."

Sanji was still growling at him with seething anger. "I THINK there MAY have been a more tactful and less IDIOTICALLY VIOLENT way to make that point," he barked with his teeth bared.

Nami bonked Zoro hard on the head with her Climatact. Chopper bit him.

He winced and then waved them off. "Yeah, yeah. Luffy and Chopper go on. We'll keep an eye on this one."

"Oh. I wonder if you mean 'I'?" Robin asked, in a volume probably only he could hear.

Zoro shot her a glare. Then he turned and walked away. "I'm going to do some exercises. Don't let that jerk leave the ship," he grunted, thumbing backward at Gijun, who blinked at his assessment.

Chopper looked a bit hesitant. "Okay…well, Gijun, I'll treat you when I get back, but if possible, try to stay lying down. Everyone, sorry, but try and make sure she doesn't follow us."

Franky laughed as Chopper and Luffy bounded down the gang plank. "You've got some piss and vinegar, kid, that's for sure."

Nami and Sanji knelt beside Gijun. Nami frowned with concern. "Does it hurt much? Chopper said you had broken ribs and things…"

Gijun glanced away in embarrassment and shook her head. Well, it was a lie, but it was a white one.

"Sanji-kun, maybe you could carry her to the infirmary?"

Sanji's eyes filled with hearts. "With pleasure!"

From the crow's nest, Zoro watched Sanji carry Gijun into the infirmary. Though he didn't notice at first, a dim surge of anger started building in his stomach. Nami was with them, but for some reason that didn't make him feel any better. Eventually, he put down the weight he was holding.

He stared at the floor for a long moment. The most dangerous thing about what he was feeling was how his resistance to it became less and less. He wanted these feelings. They were new to him, and seemed to give just breathing more meaning to it. And unlike Gijun, his vow to a lost love was not one of love itself, but more of friendship and honor. A promise. Although he'd never considered it before, it didn't prevent him from having feelings for anyone else.

Except…for one thing. And it was a big one. Zoro had always been taught, and he had no doubt that this was true, that emotions dulled the blade. "Slowed it" might be more accurate, in his opinion. The mind of a swordsman had to be empty of all thought, and had to react almost entirely on instinct alone. Thinking about anything at all, even what moves the enemy might try next, slowed that process. And a half a second delay was enough to kill a man. More than enough.

If he were to rise to the top of all swordsmen, he would either have to do so alone, or he would have to become so strong that a slight delay wouldn't hinder him. He honestly wasn't sure which was less appealing at that moment.

Sanji called them all in to lunch a while later. He said Gijun was sleeping, and he would bring her something later. He said so with a stupid grin on his face. Zoro had no idea how frightening his expression looked at that moment, but he was the only one. Everyone else felt a chill just being near him.

Once they finished eating, Sanji started putting a plate together for Gijun. Everyone else thanked Sanji and started to head off, but Zoro stayed behind. Sanji started to leave with the dish when Zoro got up and stood directly in his path.

Sanji's grin faded to a scowl. "You need something, stupid marimo?"

Zoro's eyes narrowed, considering his options. Then he breathed out a sigh. "Nami's sunbathing in a bikini at the stern."

"Bye!" Sanji cried happily, shoving the food into Zoro's ribs as he went.

Zoro scowled after him, then went through to the infirmary. Gijun wasn't sleeping, but had one leg propped up, her head cradled in both hands and was staring up at the ceiling. She glanced at him as he came in. She smiled.

Zoro's chest felt like an arrow hit it. He cleared his throat, pretending his breath hadn't caught just now, and set the food down on the table by the infirmary bed. Gijun smiled again and winced as she sat up.

Zoro scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry about that," he mumbled.

She watched him for a moment, then shook her head. She pointed at herself, thumbed toward her back, pointed to her head and then made a "poof" gesture. Evidently, she had been forgetting about her earlier injuries.

Zoro snorted. "I guess it should be obvious, but you are good at that, huh?" He sat down in Chopper's chair and folded his arms as she first watched him curiously, then started to eat. Not really knowing why, he asked her, "Is it good?"

She looked up at him and blinked for a moment. She pointed to him.

He rolled his eyes. "Do I look like I can cook? That cook made it, moron."

She nodded briefly, then made a thumbs up.

His eyebrow twitched. "I'm not sure if you're saying the food's good, or you're really convinced that I can't cook."

Suddenly, the room was filled with hyena laughter. Zoro stared at her in shocked irritation as she finally settled down and stopped laughing. Then, to his further annoyance, all she did was make another thumbs up. While grinning at him. Enormously.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you actually really easily amused?"

She considered. Then she shook her head, and pointed at him.

A vein twitched in his forehead. "It's only me that you find hilarious?"

She nodded.

Zoro sighed, resting his head in his hand. "Mixed feelings about that." They sat for a while in silence as she ate her lunch. She seemed surprised that Zoro stayed even after she had finished, but he said nothing to answer her curious stare. At length, he gathered his courage to ask a question that he knew no good would come from. But he couldn't stop himself from wanting to know.

"Listen…" He was already starting to get embarrassed, and he hadn't even said anything. He sighed again, rubbing his hair in irritation. "Back on the island. After we were poisoned, and you were helping me. You…" He went bright red now, though he kept his expression steady. "…touched my chest. And it seemed like you said something. But I didn't understand it, so I wanted to know…if you could try to explain it."

Gijun met his eyes and looked at him for a long time. He knew her eyes were already telling him something, but he had no context to know what. The fact that she hadn't answered yet already made his chest flutter with nervousness. She looked at the ground for a moment.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Finally, she looked up at him again and merely shook her head.

For some reason, his heart panged badly when he met her eyes then. "You…can't explain it?" Her stare continued. "You don't want to explain it?" She kept looking at him but nodded minimally. He swallowed. "You want to pretend it didn't happen?" She lowered her gaze, then closed her eyes with a single nod.

Having never been in love before, Zoro had no idea what it felt like to have one's heart broken. And in fairness, it wasn't as if he'd been told it was impossible, but somehow being told it didn't happen, when it had affected him so much, stung deeply. His chest felt tight, and he wasn't able to speak for a long while.

"Out of love for your mistress?" he asked bitterly.

A spark of anger flashed through her eyes. Most likely she was reacting more to his mocking tone than his words themselves.

Zoro realized too late that he became petulant when heartbroken. Thus he continued, "The dead one, you mean?"

In a movement so fast his eyes barely caught it, she suddenly had one of her knives in her hand. She was staring at him silently, yet strangely calmly tapping the back it against her palm. He met her stare fearlessly.

He sighed, holding up his hands in exasperation, and wishing over and over that he would just stop talking. "Not like I'm one to talk, but that's a pretty deep complex you have there." She kept staring silently, anger burning in her eyes. "And again, I'm no authority on having a healthy soul, but have you thought about what killing that guy will get you? Will it bring your mistress back? Will it wash away your shame?"

She remained silent. She had stopped tapping her knife now. Just glaring.

On some level, Zoro felt a chill. Yet he kept talking. "I'd like to meet this mistress of yours. See what all the fuss is about. And you know what?" His tone lowered to a dangerous whisper. "I'd bet my right arm…she was nothing to write home about."

Gijun's eyes widened with shock and rage. Zoro immediately regretted everything he'd just said. But that feeling was only the beginning. Slowly, Gijun's expression grew calm. No, not calm. Her eyes turned away from him, and cast down. Disappointed. That was it.

Calmly, she sheathed her knife. Then she took her head scarf, which had been down around her neck and shoulders all this time, put the hood on, wrapped it around her neck, and secured it. Without looking at him, but with an atmosphere of unforgiving anger, she turned away, and lay down facing the wall. He knew clearly what that meant. That his words were too base and churlish even to be worth her anger. In her mind, he had been reduced to the level of a braying hound, all sound and fury and signifying nothing.

Zoro gritted his teeth, eyes closed and head lowered. He felt sick. Unless she was just a saint, she would never forgive him, he was sure. Even if they got close again, the memory of his cruelty would always be there. Zoro got up and turned away. Now he knew what it felt like to be heartbroken.

Unbeknownst to Zoro, although his words had made her furious, the main reason she was so damaged by them was firstly, because she knew they were probably true, and secondly, because they had been said by someone she respected. In reality, that was the gist of what she had said in his ear on the island.

"You protected me, and I will repay that debt. You are a man among men, and you will always be the object of my admiration."

The reason she didn't want to explain what she'd said was more complicated. And it had something to do with the yawning ache in her heart when he left the room, and the tears of sudden loss that ran down her face.

Luffy and Chopper returned, Chopper carrying a funny little plant that seemed to change color in different temperatures, and helped with fever. So, they set off again. Though they did not know it at the time, this next journey would be a long one. A long time together on a ship with only ten people on it. Things were bound to go awry.


	8. Chapter 8

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 8

Though Robin had no idea of the cause, she did notice a change in Zoro's relationship with Gijun. On the other hand, she had found a fun game, and it was made no less fun by the tension between them.

On an afternoon when Gijun was sitting against the rail on the deck, sharpening her knives on a whetstone, Robin approached her and knelt beside her. As ever, Gijun's reaction was to blush with next to no provocation and stop what she was doing. Smiling, Robin drew closer, causing Gijun to retreat several inches, blinking rapidly in embarrassment.

"Gijun-chan," she said in her dulcet alto. "I was just going to take a bath. Would you wash my back for me?"

Gijun went several different shades of red, and one could almost see steam coming out of her ears. She scrambled backward, but didn't get very far before Robin's hand merely stoked her cheek. It didn't matter that there was fabric between them, Gijun's eyes fluttered and her breath halted.

"I'm sorry. I know you're shy. I just thought you might make an exception for me. You don't want to?"

Gijun was panting slightly, looking a bit lost, but also much less opposed to the idea than she had been a few seconds ago. It was then that Robin heard familiar, heavy footsteps approaching, and smirked to herself.

Without a word, Zoro reached between them, picked up Gijun's abandoned knife, took hold of the person herself by the scruff, and dragged her away across the deck. Robin had to work very hard not to laugh out loud. As amusing as this game was, it was a little too easy sometimes.

Gijun was confused, but relieved to be out of that situation, as Zoro dragged her to a different part of the deck and finally let go of her collar. He wordlessly handed her the handle end of her knife. As he did, she noticed blood on the inside of his other palm. She sighed. People unfamiliar with the sharpness of her knives, and deceived by their plain appearance, often touched the blades in just the wrong way unintentionally. Apparently that went for swordsmen too. She was foolish to drop it.

Zoro stood over her for a time. He said nothing, and from this angle, she couldn't see his face either. Some part of her hoped he would say something about the other day. She didn't mind if it wasn't an apology per se, just something so that she wouldn't have to go back to being so reserved around him. But he didn't.

Instead, he merely said, "She just likes playing with you. She'll stop if you don't react so obviously."

Gijun could think of nothing to say to that. Not that she could say it, even if she wanted to. Zoro sighed and scratched the back of his head. Then he turned and walked away without another word.

Gijun watched him for a time. She turned her gaze to her knife, which had the barest trace of blood on it, and gently touched it. She swallowed. This didn't make any sense, so at first she ignored this feeling in herself. There was such a beautiful woman making such open advances to her. She wasn't even duty-bound this time, so there was nothing to stop her but her old feelings. So why was it that the thing she couldn't get out of her mind was not the dulcet voice in her ear, nor the warm body barely touching hers, nor the soft hand on her cheek…but the brief brush of a man's fingertips as he passed her her knife?

Unknowingly, she and Zoro were both currently engaged in whirlpools of similar emotion, both based around guilt of different kinds. Zoro toward Gijun herself, and Gijun toward her beloved mistress. One of these two people was certain Gijun would never break her vow of duty. The other desperately wanted the answer to that question. And for the time being, neither felt particularly comfortable in the other's presence.

Since this was all very obvious to those who were looking, together, Sanji and Robin devised a plan to draw their emotions out and (or so Sanji thought) drive Gijun away from Zoro. Sanji was, of course, unaware of the fact that he himself was part of the plan.

On an afternoon when they knew Gijun was asleep in the crow's nest, Robin sent Zoro to the infirmary to fetch her (obviously knowing she wasn't there). Robin went via a different route to arrive there before him, where Sanji was waiting. She and Sanji shared a smirk.

When they heard heavy footsteps, Sanji started the farce with his opening line. "You're so sweet, Gijun-chan, but you don't have to hold back if you want to talk about that green gorilla."

The footsteps stopped.

Sanji grinned. Then he continued, "Here. Why don't you use this pen and paper. That way we don't need Chopper."

Robin smiled and wrote something down.

Sanji glanced at it and tried not to laugh. "Ah…yeah, he makes everyone feel that way. He is basically just a talking ape. You'd be hard pressed to find a hint of delicacy in that lump."

Robin glanced at the door, a little nervous Zoro might burst in for some retribution at that moment, but he didn't. That fact in itself was proof the plan was working. She wrote something down again.

Sanji read it. "What do I…think of him?" He looked at Robin curiously, then smirked. "I don't keep my feelings much of a secret. About anything. I'm an open book, Gijun-chan," he concluded, grinning lasciviously at Robin.

She smiled in her totally unreadable way, but tapped her pen on the page, rather forcefully.

Sanji observed this, still not sure where she was going with it. He sighed. "All right. He's not a complete waste of breathing space." Sanji folded his arms and considered for a moment. "I hate to admit it, but his sense of…honor, for example. I don't hate that." There was a shift of movement outside, but Sanji didn't notice. "He would never force someone to do something against their will, for example."

Robin's eyebrows lifted and she gained a bit of a smile. Sanji and Zoro were thinking two completely different things with that sentence, she was aware. Sanji was trying to express to imaginary Gijun that she could tell Zoro "no" and he would listen. In other words, subtly telling her to say "no", and also mentally cornering Zoro into being a gentleman. But Robin could tell that whatever had happened between them, it was something Zoro was feeling guilty about. Therefore, Sanji's missile had hit an unintended, but even more successful target. How very interesting.

Robin turned back to the paper and wrote again, hoping to twist the knife a little.

Sanji glanced at it. His eyes widened and he stared at Robin, wondering just how much was farce now. "You…are you serious, Gijun-chan? He did that?"

Another noise outside; it sounded like Zoro had collapsed against the wall. Robin was fascinated. She had only postulated about what happened of course, but the fact that Sanji's and Zoro's reactions both matched up was extremely interesting. But she had to pay attention now, because the situation might get out of control.

Even though Sanji was aware this was supposed to be face, he still felt anger boiling inside him. "Even he. I can't believe it. I'll kill him. He won't leave this ship alive again."

Robin kindly patted Sanji's arm to calm him. Then she pointed down to the paper, where she had written again.

Sanji's anger grew dulled, but his shock even worse. He looked at Robin plaintively. "You didn't mind?" he murmured. "R-Gijun-chan…" he corrected himself belatedly. "I don't understand why you're saying this…"

This time, Sanji's eyes followed her as she wrote. "You didn't like…what he did…but you didn't mind because…he reminds you of…" Sanji held his breath for a moment, his face growing dark. Luckily, he was aware this was fake, or he would have been having quite an explosion of anger just then. "…of your dead love?"

Sanji's hand tightened as it rested on the table. To soothe him, Robin stroked his brow and shook her head. This had immediately the right effect, and he gazed sheepishly at the floor, blushing at her touch.

Sanji managed to chuckle a little. "I wonder what he'd say if he heard himself compared to a woman."

They heard a scoff outside, and Robin and Sanji shared a smile. Robin wrote one more thing.

"You don't hate him…but you wish he would apologize?" Sanji gazed at this sentence for a while before he realized he'd been played. He sighed with a smile. Then he decided he might as well play long. "I'm sorry to say I can't imagine him apologizing. I'm sure if he tried, he'd just mess it up. He's such a loser."

There was a final sound of movement outside and then heavy steps moving away. Robin smiled remorsefully at Sanji. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you my plan. But don't you think Gijun-chan will be happier this way?"

Sanji pushed his finger back and forth on the table, pouting. "Yeah, but Robin-chan…" he mumbled.

She drew a little closer to him. "I know you're sad she might like someone else more than you. But I would have thought Nami and I would be enough for you." Her smile became subtle and yet highly suggestive and she said softly, "For most men, either one of us is too much. Or so I understand."

Sanji's expression went totally vacant for a few moments. "Enough…too much…for me…" At this point, his brain exploded in a puff of smoke, and he collapsed to the floor with a big grin on his face. Robin folded her arms and chuckled to herself. Now for part two.

Robin snuck up to the crow's nest, where she knew Gijun was sleeping. She also made sure to tell Chopper, who was drying some herbs on the deck (and also in between the crow's nest and where she knew Zoro was pacing and thinking at the stern), where she was going. She found Gijun sleeping lightly, but she opened her eyes as Robin came up. Again, she had that cute reaction of blushing before Robin had even done anything. Then she sat up, and patiently waited for Robin to say what she wanted.

For the first time in a long time, Robin let down her mask of indifference. Her usual smile faded a bit, and she merely observed Gijun for a time. "Gijun-chan," she said. "You are a sweet girl. I'm sure many people like you…"

Gijun was already shaking her head at this, but Robin ignored her.

"…but if, for example, you were to receive a confession from someone like me…" Robin paused, pretending she didn't feel the uncertainty in her chest. But she took it as a compliment the way Gijun was bright red under her mask, and seemed to be feeling light-headed. She continued regardless, "…there's a reason you would say no, isn't there?"

Gijun blinked, then cast her gaze aside. She closed her eyes and took a long breath.

Robin gave a lonely smile. She glanced at the floor briefly. "I don't mind. But I would like to know, just for the sake of my own curiosity, which reason that might be."

Gijun frowned, not following her meaning.

Robin chuckled. "Is it old feelings you can't forget…or new ones you can't understand?"

Gijun's eyes widened. She blushed a little, looking conflicted. Eventually, she leaned down and put her head in her hand, in essence already answering Robin's question.

Robin gave another sad smile. "Well. I have to say I'm a little relieved."

Gijun looked up in surprise.

"Revenge is a funny thing. By its nature, it is a double-edged sword, and the longer one holds it tightly to oneself, the deeper the scar." She smiled more naturally again. "It may sound cruel, but the fact that you're struggling now makes me happy. It means you're still human."

Gijun grew more serious as she said this, and held her gaze for longer than she had before, without blushing this time. Her gaze flicked to the floor, and Robin could see quite clearly what was going on in her mind. Was it all right to stay human when she had such a heavy burden of duty?

Robin smiled and decided on one last bit of mischief, because she could hear heavy feet climbing up the ladder. "Well then, Gijun, I'll see you later. Be good," she said, and rose. Then, while Gijun was still reacting slowly, she cupped her face in her hand and kissed her over her mask.

Gijun was in shock for a half a second, then she squeaked like a mouse. The next moment, the hatch to the crow's nest slammed open and Zoro pulled out Wado, still sheathed, to force Robin away from the panicked Gijun.

"That gag is losing its charm," Zoro growling, still holding Wado out before him.

Robin chuckled. "Yes. It seems Gijun-chan agrees with you. So I'll withdraw for now." Her eyes held a little danger as she glanced at Zoro, still smiling. "But not very far. Be careful you don't slip up now."

She gracefully excused herself. Zoro sighed heavily, planting Wado on the floor to lean on. "I'll never understand her." He turned to Gijun. "Hey. You okay?"

The ninja blinked several times. She was still red and breathing hard. That was the second time in her life that someone she was attracted to had forced a kiss on her. Did she give off some kind of special pheromone or something?

"Hey."

Zoro leaned down to get her attention. Unfortunately he came just a little too close with very poor timing, and Gijun leapt back in surprise with her knife drawn.

Instead of his usual overreaction, Zoro observed this for a moment in silence. Then, Gijun could have been mistaken, but she thought she saw pain flicker in his eyes before he turned partly away and calmly returned Wado to his belt. While she was still unsure how to approach him, he let out a long sigh.

"I think it's because you can't talk," he said, abruptly.

She had to tilt her head a bit at that one. Some context was needed.

He glanced at her, then sighed again. In a quieter tone than normal, he muttered, "When I'm being an ass, to the cook, or Nami or Luffy…most of the others, too…they chew my head off for it. Even Chopper gets on my case. Brook's scared of me, but he has good reason to be, because 90% of the time he pisses me the fuck off. Robin and I basically ignore each other. So…I never really learned…how to behave. I guess." He sighed again, this time heavily as if letting out some tension. "And," he continued, looking a bit embarrassed. "You might have already noticed this but I'm not…what you'd call…sensitive."

Gijun couldn't help the smile spreading across her face, so much so that it distracted her from the increase in her heartbeat. This was much better than an apology. She lowered her head and tried no to laugh.

"Anyway," Zoro grumbled, starting to get annoyed with his own embarrassment. "Look, I don't really know what you want to hear…I can't change the past, and…I'll probably always be a bit of a dick…"

Distracted by trying not to look embarrassed, Zoro didn't notice Gijun rise. She faced him, raised her hand and placed it on his opposite shoulder. She allowed her forearm to rest against his collarbone. She smiled at him.

Zoro felt his temperature rise. Again, he cursed the situation, because he really had no idea what degree of acceptance or forgiveness that gesture was meant to convey. But then her eyes closed as she started to laugh silently.

Zoro rolled his eyes, though still feeling the heat where she was touching him. "I'm amusing you again, am I?"

At that point, she looked a bit hesitant. He could have been imagining things, but Zoro was sure her cheeks gain a little color. Then she did the thing that had tugged on Robin's heartstrings in the first place.

She retracted her hand from his shoulder and thought for a moment. Then, with gestures that had no specific meaning other than to convey emotion, she began to speak to him. Unlike her previous interactions with him, where her movements were firm and precise, now her hands and body wavered like long grass in summer, or bent like trees in a storm. Her final motion was to briefly press her fingertips to her heart, and then, to his disbelief, slowly reach out and touch them to his.

Zoro's heart was pounding in his ears. If he had any doubt now about what she meant by that, he had only look at her eyes. They were slightly moist, and gazing with heat and conflict where her fingertips pressed against his chest. Her cheeks were flush with color, her eyelids fluttering slightly. More than anything, the way she refused to look at him as her blush deepened.

Zoro was a confident man, but out of his depth in this area. Due to inexperience, and some lingering insecurity, he wasn't sure what to do. He knew what he wanted to do. But for some reason, he knew he couldn't bear this woman's hatred. Still, the ache was too great, so he did the least he could bear with.

Since her fingertips still touched his chest, he reached up, and slowly clasped her slender hand in his larger one. Her breathing heightened. When she didn't object, he placed his other hand on her forearm and pulled her closer. Now he held her forearm against his chest, and they stood inches apart.

Zoro felt many things swirling inside him, things he wanted to express, but his mind was completely blank. Apparently, he wasn't the only one, because they stood this way silently for many moments. Eventually, unable to stop himself, Zoro reached up and placed his hand against the side of her face. Her eyes closed, and then his heart raced as she placed just the slightest amount of pressure against his hand. He swallowed.

Carefully, he pressed her hand once more against his chest, telling her he wanted it to stay there, then reached around her shoulders and the back of her neck and finally pulled her against him. Both gasped at the sensation. Zoro's blood felt like it was running hot and cold at the same time. He didn't realize how much he had longed for this warmth until he felt against him. It was an agonizingly pleasurable feeling, because it only made him want more. He fought himself every second to do no more than this.

Then something broke his will to pieces. Gijun, like him, had been breathing hard since he pulled her close. But now those hot breaths were gradually slowing. The hot tension eased from her hands, both of which were pressed against his bare chest, and they softly explored the feel of his skin. Zoro felt a shiver run though his body, but he still controlled himself. Gijun was still for a moment. She seemed to be fighting with herself. Briefly, she seemed to hunch in on herself for a moment, and then hesitantly, she turned her head, and nuzzled it into the hollow of his neck.

Heat rampaged over Zoro's body, robbing him of the control he valued so much. He clasped both hands around her face and drew her back so their lips were an inch apart. They both panted hard. He was able to stop there, but he searched her eyes desperately. He knew he didn't have to explain what he was asking. Gijun's eyes passed hurriedly from his eyes to his lips. That was still not a "yes".

Zoro's panting grew harder, and he caressed the sides of her face while pressing his body tightly against her. His lips parted, he slowly ran his hot breath along her chin and jaw and the corner of her mouth, never touching. He dare not remove the fabric. He didn't want to be hated, but more importantly, he wanted her to say clearly that she wanted him.

Gijun had her eyes closed passionately, her hands pressed against the center of his collarbone. Her expression was still tortured and unsure, but he could do no more than this. She must tell him herself what she wanted. Finally, she did.

Slowly, her hands crept up around his neck to explore the back of his hair. Zoro paused to let her continue. She pulled him even closer, so that their cheeks nearly touched. With a hand that shook, she left the back of his neck to fiddle with her mask, though of course Zoro didn't know this. The next thing he knew, he felt a soft, warm kiss against the top of his cheek. His eyes widened.

He couldn't wait anymore. He yanked her back and captured her mouth in a breathless kiss.

Gijun moaned. He was surprised she could moan, but wasn't interested in hearing why at that particular moment. His body was on fire. His head, lips and crotch in particular felt like they would burn away from sensation. He couldn't think about anything. He held her face tightly as he kissed her over and over, his desire only heightened by that which sated it.

To his surprise, Gijun didn't seem much better off. Every time their lips parted, the air was punctuated with her gasps, and her fingers still idly explored his chest. Now things really were getting dangerous. His body ached for her, and it seemed that everything she did made it worse. But in the end, his better self won out. If they continued now, it might all be played off as a mistake. As momentary lust. He did not want that.

With a huge application of mind over matter, Zoro slowly managed to pull away from her. What he saw reinforced in him that he had made the right decision. He hadn't thought much about it just now, but when she adjusted her mask, it was to open the mouth portion, not to take it off completely. She still looked at him now with her face almost completely covered, as always. She had not opened her heart to him. Although, it was satisfying to see the dazed look in her eyes, along with her heavy blush and uneven breathing. Zoro took a deep breath in and out to calm himself.

At length he murmured softly, "You should go back to sleep." She blinked dimly. He sighed, then caressed her cheek. "I expected a deep stab wound for what I just did," he muttered. "I'm not complaining, but you should go back to sleep."

He made her sit back down on the bench, but she looked at him questioningly.

He walked toward the hatch, and then said gently, "Come and find me when you get up. Or any time if you just need someone to laugh at. Apparently," he added, rolling his eyes.

But she didn't smile. She merely looked at the ground, worriedly.

Zoro's chest ached. He was afraid of that. She was already regretting it, wasn't she? He closed his eyes. Well, he'd made his choice now, for better or for worse. He started down the ladder and waved a hand.

"Have a good rest," he told her, and then was gone.

Gijun watched after him for a long time. Then she flopped back on the bench in despair. While gazing at the ceiling, she thought, a man's kiss…is very hot.


	9. Chapter 9

Note: hebidzukai = "snake-charmer"

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 9

Zoro was well aware that it was Gijun's move now. After he kissed her, he knew he had to back off right away. Firstly, because he himself was still unsure what he wanted. Secondly, because someone like her would never respond to force. Whenever he had tried that path, she had responded either with violence or by shutting herself off, the latter of which was much scarier to him. But speaking of scary, the situation right now was no picnic either.

Three days had passed. The first day, she did seem to be watching him more than usual, but that was all. The last two, her behavior toward him seemed the same as it was toward any of the other crew mates (with the exception of the girls, obviously). If anything, her gaze seemed to have grown colder. That was not a good sign.

And the more time passed, the more Zoro's uneasiness grew. Had he done something he couldn't take back? Having said that, at the time, he felt he'd had little choice. When she acted so sweetly, so out of character, it would be almost impossible not to respond with affection. Even for Zoro. But if…just supposing, she had already made her choice…what would he do?

Zoro sighed, gazing out at the sea from the deck with his arms folded on the rail. At that moment, Usopp's voice came down hesitantly from the crow's nest speaker.

"Umm…don't want to worry anybody, but there seems to be a ship…thingy…out there…sailing…"

People started showing up on the deck wondering what he was talking about, and Zoro glanced out at the ocean. Usopp must have been using his specs, because Zoro couldn't see anything across the horizon. Then again, not that he would ever tell anyone this, not if his life depended on it, his eyes were not good in bright sun. It was why he wore his bandana with tough opponents. Even the glare from his swords was uncomfortable without it. Even so, it made him rely less on vision and more on instinct, so he didn't mind it.

"So…it's still there," Usopp's crackly voice came again. "Just…sailing."

Nami stepped out of the aquarium with Robin and walked over to the rail. She scanned the skies. "Oh…he's right. Usopp?" she called. "Is it flying colors?"

A pause. "Hmm…it's a black flag, so they're pirates anyway. But…I can't tell what the mark is."

Sanji leaned on the wall outside the kitchen and lit up. "If they're pirates who made it this far on the Grand Line, they're not some penny ante bunch. What do you say, Captain?"

He directed the question at Luffy, who had wound himself in the rigging and was squinting into the distance.

"Mmm…what the heck? I don't see a ship." He sighed. "Well, whatever. Guess we'll find out," he added merrily.

Usopp's voice came again, "Is Luffy grinning? Is he making that grin? Can we turn around now?"

Gijun and Chopper were the last to come out onto the deck. He had been checking on her injuries, and when she came out, her top half was bare except for a breast band (and her mask of course). Sanji was standing too close at the time and ended up laid out on the floor, bleeding profusely from the erotic center of his brain. Zoro met her eyes. Some unreadable emotion passed through her eyes briefly. Then she cast her gaze aside expressionlessly and started pulling on her shirt again.

"Ah, Gijun, wait, I'm not done with that," Chopper muttered.

She nickered softly to him like a horse.

"Oh…I see. Sorry." Obviously she was reminding about her tattoo, which she might not yet want the others to see. Zoro wasn't even sure Chopper knew what it meant, though he was respectful when she didn't want to show it.

Zoro turned back to the ocean. He thought so during her surgery, but she really had a slender body for a warrior. Then again, he only really knew she was fast, not strong per se. There was something else he thought, that he barely admitted to himself. He wanted to see more of her.

"Colors coming into view…" Usopp said through the speaker. "It's…I'd say a…grinning scull with its tongue hanging out…" Gijun's head whipped up and her whole body went tense. Zoro frowned curiously at her. "…wait, maybe not, there's something gray coming out of the mouth...not sure."

Gijun barked loudly like a dog and the whole ship turned to look at her.

Chopper scrambled, "Uh…Usopp!" he called. "She wants to know if it's a silver snake coming out of the mouth!"

A pause. "Oh yeah, it does look like a snake. How did-"

But by that time, Gijun (in a moment of acrobatic genius) had leapt from the second floor rail and landed to cling to the rigging, which was easily thirty feet away. She scrambled up to the top, but didn't go into the crow's nest. She stared out fixedly on the horizon.

"Gijun?" Nami asked worriedly, coming to stand underneath the rigging.

Usopp opened the hatch to glance down at her, but she still said nothing, merely staring out with wide eyes. Though only Usopp could see this, the hand which gripped the rigging was white-knuckled and shaking.

Zoro was in the dark as much as anyone until somehow it clicked in his mind. There was only one reason someone like Gijun would react so violently. His hand planted on the rail and he searched the sky. Finally he saw the dot, where presumably lied Gijun's fate, as well as her raison d'être. He stared at it. His jaw tightened. His fingers gripped the rail.

"Get down from there," he said, loud enough that she could hear.

The whole crew was a bit taken aback, both by Gijun's reaction and by Zoro's sudden harshness. Gijun didn't even glance at him, she seemed totally fixated on the ship.

"If you think you can resolve the situation by staring, then go ahead. Otherwise, get down. Your behavior is disgraceful."

That seemed to reach her, because slowly, her grip on the rope loosened. She still breathed hard for a moment. Then she slowly began to climb down.

Since Zoro was near the bottom of the rigging anyway, when she landed on the deck, she stood silently beside him. He continued facing out toward the ship, she was now turning within and gazing at the deck. Her body was totally still, but for a mild trembling in her hands.

Softly, Zoro addressed her so the others couldn't hear, "We don't even know if he's on that ship yet. If he is, then that's that. Decide right now what you're going to do about it. There's no reason to make a spectacle like that, or to panic or cry like a child." Gijun's fists tightened. "Remember your duty. Wait patiently."

Finally, Gijun's body seemed to relax a little. Slowly, her fists loosened. Her eyes were closed. At length, she let out a long breath. In a gesture that he never expected, with her elbow, she rested just the smallest amount of pressure against his arm. He met her eyes. She was in torment, she couldn't hide it. But she had calmed somewhat, and he might almost say she looked grateful. This only lasted a moment, and then she started to walk away.

She climbed back onto the second floor and nodded at Chopper.

"Huh? Oh…I don't mind, but…are you okay?"

Gijun gave a slightly forced smile, then headed back into the infirmary.

"Oh…okay," Chopper murmured, and followed her.

Sanji, now recovered from his nosebleed, approached Zoro in annoyance. The others seemed interested in what he had to say as well. "And what was that about?" Sanji asked.

Robin sighed slightly. "I fear our time with Gijun-chan may have reached its end already."

"What?!" chorused Nami, Sanji and Luffy.

"What are you talking, Robin?! She's our nakama!" Luffy protested angrily.

Brook folded his skeletal fingers. "Ah," he said, with pity in his voice. At the same time, Franky adjusted his sunglasses and folded his massive arms. "Could it be we've found Gijun-chan's heretofore tormenter?"

Nami gasped and covered her mouth. Sanji looked a little shaken. Then he gritted his teeth. "Like we give a shit," he grunted, taking a drag to cover his emotion. "We'll skin the son of a bitch and be on our way. What's the problem?"

"Exactly!" Luffy cried, stomping his foot on the ground.

"The problem is Gijun," Zoro said, and somehow the sound of his voice then put a hush over the others.

Robin closed her eyes. "Ninjas aren't trained with any sense of justice. Quite the contrary, they are taught to use any means to eliminate their targets, something I'm not unfamiliar with myself," she added with a complicated smile. "But Gijun-chan is a little different, I think."

"Her duty doesn't come from a sense of obligation," Zoro agreed. "She's like that down to her core. For someone like that, breaking a moral code is nothing if it means her master's safety. But when her master is gone, killing isn't something she can do selfishly."

Usopp, Luffy and Brook both tilted their heads to the side. "Zoro," said Luffy. "Why do two keep going on about ninjas?"

A long silence hung in the air. It went on for a good four seconds. Then at the same moment, everyone but Zoro and Robin leapt back, crying, "WHAT?!"

"She's really a ninja?!" Luffy demanded, his face inches from Zoro's. His eyes had become stars, and the air around him was sparkling.

"That's…not something I expected," Franky muttered.

"I wonder what color a ninja's panties are…" Brook murmured, blushing.

"Why does that make you more interested?" Nami barked, whacking him upside the head.

"So, wait," Usopp said, leaning his head on his hand. "If she's a ninja, why doesn't she just kill the guy?"

"We don't know how long she's been looking for him," Robin said, smiling faintly with a trace of profound understanding. "All that time, her whole life has been driven by her hate for him. Losing that may mean something more than we can imagine."

"A ninja's whole reason to live is her master," Zoro said, his eye closed.

"When she lost her mistress, her purpose became avenging that loss. Also," Robin said softly, casting her gaze aside as her smile faded. "For someone like Gijun-chan, killing for no other reason than her own desires may take away what little humanity she's still clinging onto." Robin closed her eyes. "Even if she chooses to keep living once her job is done, she may not want to do so for her own sake." Robin's soft smile returned. "We may need to give her a reason."

"Hell yes!" Luffy said defiantly. "We'll make her want to live the hell out of life! You all think so too, right?!"

The others nodded and Franky burst into tears. "Ahhh…I like her…let's make her want to live…wahhhh…!"

"Good," Robin said, smiling widely. "Let's do that, then."

Luffy stood up on the rail, and shouted out at the ocean. "Grraaah! You're going to live if I have to beat it into you, Gijun! Ninja nakama! Raaaaahhh!"

Usopp and Brook joined him on the rail. "Graaaah!"

Zoro smirked to himself. Robin approached him and said softly, "This is good isn't it? Though of course we might still hope Gijun herself will make the right choice."

Zoro's relief faded a bit and he opened his eye. "Only she knows what that is."

Robin chuckled. "That's not wrong, it must be said. Still, for my own sake I do hope she chooses to stay with us."

"On the ship?" he muttered with interest.

"Ideally. But not necessarily." She started to walk away. "She's a precious girl, and I care for her deeply. Even if I'm not with her, I hope she finds happiness."

That one put a small ache in Zoro's chest. He couldn't lie, her implication that his wanting her to choose him over her mistress was selfish, that was true. These feelings were all foreign to him. And apparently it took someone else to point out to him that he was being childish. Still…if it came to that, he wasn't sure he could let her give up all hope. He might not force her to stay with him, but in spite of his own moral code, he might protect her life even against her will. And somehow, strangely, thinking this felt…good?

Nami came up with a plan, and gathered everyone around, Gijun included. "So. According to Gijun, we're not sure whether or not this guy _knows_ he's being hunted. And if not, then for several reasons, we'd rather it stay that way. Right?" Gijun was silent for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, we're going to approach them peacefully, and Usopp and Franky, you see if you can interest them in some bartering. Gijun, you hide out in the kitchen while they come aboard. If you see him, then…well…you know. In any case, we don't want him recognizing you too soon and trying to run off."

Gijun shook her head and made breathy bear noises for a moment.

"Gijun says he's never seen her," Chopper said.

"Oh…really?" Nami murmured in confusion. "Well…anyway. It's still better if he doesn't see you. If he's not there, then at least his crew can't warn him that there's a ninja looking for him. Everybody good?"

"No!" Luffy said, folding his arms resolutely. "Why do we have to sneak around like this?! Let's just kick his ass! I'm kicking his ass if no one else does!"

"You don't even know what he looks like, Luffy," Usopp said, shaking his head.

"What kind of punk is he?" Franky asked. "Is he good in a fight?"

Gijun made the grumbling and hissing noises of a crocodile that made everyone shiver, then Chopper spoke for her.

" 'I don't know, since I never saw him fight and he used poison to kill Ojou-sama. But he's the kind of scum of the earth, waste of air son of a bitch who's not worth spitting on. You'll know him by the yellow streak down his spineless back.' " Chopper covered his mouth with his hooves. "I'm sorry. I know I didn't say it, but wow."

Luffy and Franky both laughed, and most of the others grinned, although Gijun was being perfectly serious.

"That's better," Luffy said, calming down a little. Gijun looked at him curiously. "For a minute there you looked like somebody else. Now you look like Gijun again."

Gijun's eyes widened. She stared at the grinning Luffy for many long seconds. Her eyes looked a little red. Finally, she closed them with a sad smile. She bent down on the floor, kneeling with both palms and her forehead resting on the deck.

" 'This debt will never be forgotten.' " Chopper said.

"I really could care less," Luffy said with a big grin. "Just let me kick the guy's ass, then we're even."

Gijun was suddenly up on one knee with a hand on her knife, all gratitude gone from her face.

Everyone but Luffy was suddenly full of tension. Sanji elbowed Chopper and whispered, "What's she saying?"

Chopper shook his head. "She's not saying anything."

Luffy laughed. "I'm kidding." There was quite a large amount of seriousness in his smile after that, though. "Just making sure killing him is what you want. Personally, I'd rather see him eat dirt."

Another long silence passed. Then Gijun seemed to bend down for a moment. Her shoulders started to shake, and people started to wonder what was wrong.

Then with a quizzical expression, Chopper murmured, "No, it's okay. Um, I think she's laughing."

Some of the tension faded, but with a lot of very confused faces, and then Gijun rose calmly to her feet.

" 'I'll be waiting in the kitchen. Thank you,' she says."

She walked away, and reached the kitchen. She closed the door behind her. Eight people let out a collective sigh, though one was still grinning.

Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "Hard to get on her wavelength."

"Not really," Zoro said, turning back to the horizon. "Just think of a fox in a hole. It's that sort of 'bite your hand off if you get too close' kind of mentality."

Usopp pondered for a moment. "Do people tame foxes?"

"I'll tame her!" Luffy cried triumphantly. He was ignored.

Robin chuckled. "As I understand it, they don't take very well to taming."

"Why bother?" Zoro grunted, scratching his head. "A tame fox is just a dog. I hate dogs."

Sanji made an arrogant expression and leaned in to blow smoke in Zoro's face. "Interesting, Fido. Considering you are one."

"Say that again," Zoro growled.

"Fido."

And that was all it took for a fight to break out. This lasted until the ship came within their sights, and the two hooligans were distracted by Usopp's voice before they even noticed the ship coming alongside.

"Ahoy, there!" came Usopp's voice over the loudspeaker. "This is the Mugiwara Kaizoku-dan! We come in peace. We're only interested in trade, if you have anything. We swear on Davy Jones."

After a moment, a well-dressed crewman stood out on the prow of the slightly larger ship. "Ahoy there, Mugiwara Kaizoku-dan. This is the Hebidzukai Kaizoku-dan. We welcome your offer of trade, in the name of Davy Jones. Our captain is currently resting, so please wait for a short while, and he will introduce himself presently."

The crewman removed the hat he was wearing to bow and smile gallantly to Nami and Robin, then joined his fellows in pulling up the sail.

Chopper tilted his head. "Somehow…he seemed…nice."

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Don't be deceived by appearances, Chopper. 'Hebidzukai', plus that metaphor about having a silver snake for a tongue, should give you a clue where their values are."

Chopper, and now Luffy and Brook who'd come along, tilted their heads in the other direction.

Nami sighed. "In other words, they charm you with beauty and fine words, then poison you." She gritted her teeth. "For Gijun's sake, I want to sink their ship before we start."

"What?! So they're already lying?!" Luffy cried, and quickly Franky and Sanji shut him up, though he continued to rampage for a while with their hands over his mouth.

In a few minutes, a tall, blonde man with a kind, handsome face appeared on the deck. He smiled at Luffy. No one needed Gijun to tell them who he was. All their heartbeats rose a little.

"Permission to come aboard," he said to Luffy, with a warm, soft smile.

Luffy nodded curtly.

He gave a gentle bow in appreciation, then lightly jumped from one rail to the other, and stepped down gracefully onto Sunny's deck. He glanced at Nami and Robin and bowed with simply a soft smile, a minimal gesture that no doubt captured many a young maiden's heart. But he may have sensed that he was playing to the wrong crowd, because he turned back to Luffy.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mugiwara no Luffy," he said, looking genuinely pleased. "Two years ago, I was quite a fan of yours. I was very pleased to hear you'd made it back to us in the pirate world."

"Okay," Luffy said with a flat expression.

The man smiled with amusement. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Captain Bancroft Evans, of the Hebidzukai Kaizoku-dan. But that's a mouthful, so you're welcome to call me 'Ban'. Even my crew does." He chuckled warmly.

"Uh-huh."

"By the way, do you like magic?"

Suddenly, Ussop and Chopper were on either side of Luffy. "Magic?" they all murmured with soft anticipation.

"Yes. I just learned this trick the other day, so I've been showing people. I'm not very good at it, though, so don't get too excited." He held out two small foam rabbits. "Would you like to be the volunteer?"

"Yes!" Luffy said, practically leaping off the deck.

"Hold out your hand."

He did so.

"Choose one rabbit."

Luffy chose one with an excited grin.

"Okay. The one you have is Mama. This one is Papa. They love each other very much, so it's hard to keep them apart. Here," he curled Luffy's first around "Mama", and placed the second rabbit in his pocket. "Squeeze Mama tightly," he said, and Luffy did so. "Okay. Open your hand and see what happened."

Luffy opened his hand and now there were magically two rabbits there. "Ahhhhh!" Luffy cried, grinning like an idiot.

"That's a relief. My crew tells me I'm terrible at it," Ban said, smiling almost as wide as Luffy.

"No, no, do it again!" said Luffy and Chopper, though Usopp had already caught on to the trick and was merely shaking his head with a smile.

Ban did the same. "No, I shouldn't. I'm sure you'd figure it out if I did it again. But you can keep those if you like."

Luffy and Chopper stared at the magic multiplying rabbits in awe.

Clearly judging Zoro to be the closest supervising adult, Ban turned to him and asked softly, "Not to be rude, but did you want to trade perhaps?"

Zoro merely nodded to Usopp, who showed Ban down to the deck, where Franky was arranging some spare parts and things he didn't need. Zoro glanced at the kitchen door. While Ban was looking the other way, he calmly went inside.

Gijun wasn't even looking outside. When he came in, she had her eyes tightly closed, and both hands clasped to her chest as she leaned against the wall. She was shaking. Zoro leaned on the other side of the door and said nothing for a time.

"It's him, right?"

Gijun didn't respond. He assumed that was an answer.

Zoro was silent for a while again. Finally, he said, "It's time," he said. Slowly, her eyes opened. "What will you do?"

Gijun knew in her heart, she had always known, what would happen when this chance came to her. And yet her body would not move. Her heart was frozen, locked in that horror of six years ago. She had only heard his voice, hadn't even seen his face. And suddenly her whole body was so filled up with rage, fear and grief that she could not move.

She knew what she would do. All that was left was to pray…pray that her hands would release one another from their grip over her heart. Pray that her mind would still. Pray that her muscles would answer her calls. And pray for her humanity, which even she was not prepared to protect.


	10. Chapter 10

Note: Thank you everyone who's followed the story so far. I'm sorry to those lovely, pure-hearted readers, but this will be the last T-rated chapter. I'll leave this one up for a while, but the next chapter will put the story well into the M category (and isn't it exciting ^^). Thanks for the support, see you on the other side, lol.

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 10

Several of Ban's crew had also come over to inspect Franky's wares. In the meantime, though vaguely supervising, Ban was making conversation with Usopp, Nami, Robin and Brook. Anyone who knew Nami well could see right through that paper thin smile on her face, and while Usopp and Brook both looked a little unsure, Robin's smile was fairly genuine. She was clearly enjoying the tension.

Nami said at one point, "People must tell you this a lot, but you don't meet many pirate captains as handsome as you, Ban-san. You don't ever want to settle down with a pretty girl on an island somewhere?"

To their surprise, his smile slowly faded. "Actually…" He gave a pained smile, which actually made them feel genuinely bad for him. "I've been married before." He gave a weak laugh. "I don't generally tell people that."

"Oh…I'm sorry," Nami said.

He waved a hand, though still looking a little sad behind his smile. "No, it's all right. It's been many years since then." His gaze grew distant and his smile reluctant. "Her name was 'Otsuyu'."

There was a loud "bang" from the kitchen. Everyone looked up.

Ban thumbed toward it casually. "Everything all right in there?"

"Uh…oh, right! I think I saw Zoro go in there!" Usopp said, sweating. "He's probably trying to bait Sanji by making a mess in the kitchen. Right?" he jabbed Brook in his nonexistent ribs and both of them felt the pain from that.

"Ah…ah…yes. Zoro-san…making a mess."

Though Nami and Robin both got the clear impression that Ban's smile at that moment was a knowing one, he said nothing.

"But 'Otsuyu', that's a very beautiful name," Robin said with a graceful smile.

"Thank you," Ban said softly, his smile all but gone. "She was a very beautiful girl."

"You said 'was'?" Nami clarified.

His smile faded completely. When it returned it was a self-deprecating one, his eyes clearly fixed far back in the past. "To tell you the truth, I know it's probably silly of me that I tell people I was married. It didn't even last one day."

"Oh?" Nami asked, with a trace of ill will. "Marital disputes?"

He was quiet for a long time, and even the most bitter among them started to doubt whether he was the callous murderer Gijun described. "She died."

"Oh my," Robin said. "How tragic."

He nodded. "The circumstances were a little worse than that, in fact." Anger flickered in the back of his gaze, and they wondered if that was part of his ruse or not. "My bride had a servant - I never met the man in person - who was in love with her. I never met him because he was one of those elusive shinobi, but well…I suppose it was my fault for never noticing Otsuyu's odd behavior."

"Behavior?" Brook clarified.

Another nod, and more anger rose to his features. "All the time I knew her, he was harassing her. Of course, following her was his job, but he drove away all her suitors, until finally she stood up to him and got engaged to me. We were married…and then…" His anger slowly faded to what looked like genuine grief. "That…monster…poisoned her on our wedding night."

Usopp and Nami both looked a little shaken. He didn't sound like he was lying. Brook as always was hard to gauge at a glance, and Robin was watching Ban with strange fascination. Eventually, she spoke.

"That's horrible. Did the man come to justice?"

Ban shook his head. "I left that place looking for him. He fled, once he realized I was on to him. Once he'd taken all that mattered to me."

"I see. And you've been looking ever since."

"That's right."

"You said he was a ninja?"

"Yes."

"Anything like that one?" Nami asked, grinning and pointing behind him.

It was extremely gratifying to see the speed at which he whirled around. Gijun and Zoro were now standing above them on the second floor deck. Gijun looked eerily still. Strangely, so did Ban.

He stared up at her. "It can't be…"

Gijun stepped onto the second floor railing. Then she flipped and landed lightly on the ground some twenty feet from him. His crew (who obviously had no idea why ninjas would be frightening to him) looked on curiously. Chopper stepped out next to Zoro, in case she needed any translation. The little reindeer looked very nervous.

Ban watched Gijun quietly for a long few moments. Then he drew his sword. His crew got immediately to their feet, but he held up his other hand. "Don't interfere," he said. "This is something he and I need to settle alone. It was brave of you to show yourself, Gijun. As far as I know, that's frowned upon in your circles."

Gijun said nothing, nor did she move, despite the sword drawn at her.

Ban too seemed confused by this. "Well? Have you come to me to have your sins bled from you? Or perhaps you wish to fight for her love?"

Gijun was still silent.

"If you say nothing, you will merely die like a dog and have no words spoken on your behalf."

Gijun closed her eyes and breathed out slowly. She crouched onto the ground. Then, in movements almost too fast to see, she darted to one side, then to the other, then suddenly she was past his guard, and the heel of her hand struck right at the point of his jaw, sending him comically flying straight into the air.

Franky whistled and he, Sanji, Usopp and Brook all clapped appreciatively, much though Ban's crew looked horrified.

He landed on his back and his sword almost rolled from his hand. But he clutched it.

"Oh. That's a good sign," Robin said.

"Not necessarily," Sanji said, coming to stand between her and Zoro. "But we'll find out soon."

"Hm?" Chopper murmured, gazing between them. "What's good? What's not good?"

Zoro sighed and told him, "She could have taken his head at any time with those boomerang knives, without him even noticing her. If she wanted him to know who was killing him, she still could have done that after she showed herself. The fact that she didn't means that she's either decided to let him suffer, but not kill him, or suffer, then kill him. One is very good, one is very bad."

"Almost unspeakably so," Robin said, though she was smiling very brightly. She seemed to be the only one enjoying herself in this situation.

Gijun waited for him to rise. Which he did, gracefully, sword still in hand. However, his composure was weakening, and the fear in his eyes grew stronger with every breath.

"You must have something you want to say to me. Something you want to ask me," he said. "You didn't come just to torment me and say nothing."

But Gijun was silent. Chopper wasn't translating, which meant she wasn't using a silent animal language either. She continued to stare at him, and wait for him to attack.

Ban nodded to himself. "Very well. We both know that one of us isn't leaving here alive." He raised his sword. "I've been a pirate for ten years. You can't have been for more than six. You should know you're not up against a lightweight."

Now, finally, Gijun made a move. He flinched as she raised her hand, but all she did was hold up five fingers.

"Five?" he murmured in confusion. "Five years, you mean?"

"Actually, no, she says 'five days'."

He looked completely flummoxed by that, then his mind caught on a loose thread. " 'She'…?"

"Besides, Captain Ban," Nami called. "Didn't you tell us you left your home at the same time? Your story's a little shaky."

"Yes, Nami-san!" Sanji said, kneeling and clapping appreciatively.

Ban's eyes were wide looking at her, and as such he was distracted when a heel landed square in the middle of his ribcage. There was a resounding "crunch" and he was thrown several inches into the wall behind him.

"Hey, girl, watch the ship!" Franky complained.

To his credit, he was still holding his sword when he staggered out, nearly doubled over as he held his very broken ribs.

"I gather…" he muttered. "…there's something I'm missing."

"Give the man a medal!" Usopp cried, and Franky and Luffy cheered.

"Gijun…" he said, then he panted for a few moments, and managed to straighten his back. He looked at her, no longer with fear, but now with pity. "You don't know the whole story."

Now for the first time, one of Gijun's knives was suddenly in her hand. Anger was burning in her eyes.

"You have no reason to believe me. But if you're going to kill me, then I at least want someone to know the truth before I go." It was hard to say what Gijun's reaction was to this, but she didn't move, so he swallowed and continued. "I only realized the truth when your friend said it just now. Gijun…we planned it."

That stopped her. Her eyes went wide.

"Otsuyu knew I was a pirate from the start. She hired me, more or less, because she was in a situation where she saw no solution. No hope. She was in love with someone she could never marry."

Gijun's knife fell to the deck with a heavy clatter. For many moments afterward, all that could be heard was the sound of the sea lapping gently around them.

"At the time, that was all she told me, but from her demeanor I gathered it was a woman. It never occurred to me that she meant you. The elusive ninja who drove away all those suitors." He sighed. "You recall her father, a nobleman of extreme importance to the island. He needed her to marry soon, and rather than be bound to someone she didn't love, and rather than betray her family, Otsuyu chose to end her life."

Gijun collapsed onto her knees with one hand on the deck.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to blame you for it, but I didn't want to get captured either. She was a sweet girl, and as much as I try to be better, I'm just a pirate. I'm not heroic enough to stop someone whose heart is so pure and determined." He breathed hard for a moment through his pain, but managed to sheath his sword. "So now you know. You can boil me or skin me as you like. But now you also know that we have no reason to fight one another."

Gijun's fist tightened on the floor, but she made no move.

Ban watched her with pity for a moment, then began to walk away, and gestured to his crew to disembark.

"Hey, buddy," came a low voice.

Ban stopped and glanced back at Zoro.

Zoro smirked at him. "Nice job. But you missed a spot or two."

"Excuse me?"

Gijun's head lifted slightly.

Robin leaned against the rail with her head in her hand and smiled blithely. "Just to clarify, you describe a woman caught between the love of her family and romantic love. Yet if what you say is true, and Otsuyu poisoned herself, why not stay? A dowry is nice, but surely a title is better? Someone would surely figure out the plot and you would be absolved. And even if you were a pirate, your marriage would still be legally binding, isn't that right?"

"Not to mention, anyone who understand love knows it goes both ways," Sanji said, taking a drag. "For someone who values her family so much, killing herself and giving away a dowry in the process is a hell of a way to repay that love."

"Lastly, and Gijun-chan, you should know this too," said Nami, looking smug. "You say she knew you were a pirate from the start. In that case, exactly how did a well-bred lady like the fine Otsuyu meet the pile of human garbage which stands before us today?"

Ban didn't seem to find the words soon enough. Slowly, Gijun rose.

"We…now look, Gijun wasn't with her every second," he said, starting to look panicked as he backed toward his ship. "We had time alone together, Gijun will admit this. I just…you're right, I misspoke, she didn't know from the _start_, but I told her and she was very understanding-"

A lion's roar stopped Ban cold.

" 'Lies!' " Chopper cried, in a voice unlike his own.

All was silence. Gijun picked up her knife from the deck. She gripped it silently for a moment. Softly, she started chattering like a fox.

" 'Ojou-sama was a fine lady. If a ruffian revealed himself to her, she would have screamed that very instant.' "

Gijun sheathed her knife, then threw back her head and roared again.

" 'She would have screamed and I would come running!' "

Tears were streaming down Gijun's face.

" 'She was screaming and I didn't hear her.' "

Gijun covered her face.

" 'She called for me that night. She called so softly, screaming from her heart, and I ran. And as a result, she is gone…and you are here.' "

Gijun was still for a few moments. Her resolve seemed to come to her slowly, and she lifted her head. She didn't even look at Ban for a long few moments, and suddenly she moved so fast she vanished from sight. The next instant, her foot hooked around his neck and sent him hurtling into the deck. There were many crunching noises, and among the broken bits of wood were large splatters of blood.

Gijun dragged him up and laid him on his back, planting her foot in his chest.

His crew moved to help, but they were met by a 400-million-head rubber man, a sniper, a robot and a very scary skeleton. They stayed where they were.

Gijun looked down at the man, whose beautiful face was now marred by blood and a grimace of fear. She let it sink in, then she reached for her hood. While they all watched, she unwrapped her scarf. Sanji, Nami and Chopper were all staring intently, since they could see perfectly from where they were standing. She lowered her hood. She paused for a moment. Then she reached behind her ears and tugged gently down.

Sanji, as well as Nami and Robin for some reason, all went a little pink. Zoro's heart felt as if it was wrapped in a vice inside his chest, but it didn't feel bad. Gijun was indeed beautiful. In addition to her brown, almond eyes, she had an oval face with high cheekbones, a slim, straight nose and full but rather pale lips. None of her individual features were spectacular in themselves, and on another person they may have been called pretty, but ordinary. But she made them beautiful, partly because she was so unaware of the concept itself.

But her beautiful face was now torn with sadness. She reached into her breast pocket, and they thought she was reaching for her remembrance, but instead she produced a small, dark stone. She pressed it to her throat, and Robin gasped.

"What?" Sanji asked her.

"Of course, kairouseki," she murmured.

"What about it?"

"Y-y…" came a soft, hoarse voice.

They all stood stock-still and gazed in wonder.

"You…are…not….w-w-worth…shit."

Nami gasped, covering her mouth with moist eyes. Sanji's jaw dropped. Zoro and Chopper held the exact same, comically surprised expression. Robin looked on in wonder.

"I…should…kill you."

Ban gasped.

"In-…in-…instead…" Now she did produce the remembrance, and held it close so he could see well. "I…leave you…with…this…burden. It is…it was…always…will be…yours…to bear. This…face…will…never leave…your…mind," she concluded, pressing her finger deeply into his forehead until he winced in pain. "N-n-now…swim."

There were a few cocked heads at that last bit, until she heedlessly dropped the stone on the deck, grabbed the filth by his collar and with a great roar, tossed him end over end into the sea.

"Ah," they said, watching him splash and flounder. His crew started shouting and finding spare rope while one or two dove in after him.

"Is he a devil fruit-user?"

"Who knows?"

"Sea kings in this area?"

"Who the hell cares?"

"I disabled their rudder."

"Nice."

"Set sail!"

"Let's have some lunch."

"But first…"

The greater part of the crew gathered and wrapped Gijun in a huge group hug, tightened by Luffy who stretched his arms around all of them (except Zoro and Robin, who both had just a little too much dignity to participate).

To no one's surprise, she was crying buckets, but she had grown silent again, and didn't seem to be reacting much. Once the hug dissipated a bit, Zoro walked in and, without asking permission, hefted Gijun onto his back with both her arms around his neck. To the surprise of most who saw, she obediently clung to him without really asking why. He headed over to the rigging, and climbed up to the crow's nest.

"What's that about?!" Luffy demanded.

Sanji and Robin exchanged a glance, both a bit bitter but smiling nonetheless. "Well," Sanji murmured, feeling philosophical. "Let's not worry about that. Hungry?"

"YES!"


	11. Chapter 11

Note: "kunoichi" = colloquialism for "female ninja". The term comes from the three strokes in the kanji for "woman" which look more or less like the hiragana "ku", the katakana "no" and the kanji "ichi"; the word has no real meaning by itself. Many ninjas were in fact female, since their tasks were more often spying, infiltration and assassination, as opposed to open warfare. The characteristic of a female ninja was one of a spy who seduces a target, then kills them in their bed. As such, experienced or not, any female ninja would have been trained in the art of seduction. Which is convenient. :)

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 11

Zoro closed the crow's nest hatch with his foot, set Gijun down on the bench and sat beside her. He stayed there for a moment, then pulled her head against his chest. Once there, she soon began to sob softly, one hand on his chest and the other holding onto his shoulder. He held her this way for a long time, and seemingly out of exhaustion, she soon fell asleep. He let her lay down with her head in his lap, and stroked her hair.

When she woke not long after, she wiped away traces of tears, and lay quietly for a time.

"Do you feel any better?"

A pause. She nodded slightly.

"Does it still hurt?"

Another tear dripped down. She nodded.

"So you're still human. Glad to hear it."

That prompted a soft smile. She closed her eyes again and set her hand on his knee. Warmth spread throughout his chest. Other places too, which he gallantly ignored.

"If Kuina had been murdered," Zoro said softly, and Gijun's eyes opened. "I don't think I could have done what you did. Few people could. That was something."

She was silent for a moment, then she got up from his lap. He already wanted her warmth back. He wanted her to rely on him more. Then she met his eyes. She pointed at him.

Zoro blinked. "Me? You mean I had something to do with it?"

She nodded and she gave a hesitant smile. Zoro's heart pounded. Seeing her smile directly, unhindered by fabric, was doing him some heavy damage. She then circled a finger around, glancing down toward the deck.

"Oh. You mean everyone."

She tilted her head as if that wasn't quite right, then raised a hand and placed her fingertips gently on his chest, as she had done once before. Heat seemed to spread from where she touched him. Her eyes looked moist again, and then his heart flew into his chest as she drew closer and nuzzled his neck.

His breath came harder. "Hey. Knock it off. I might do something bad to you if you keep that up."

She merely nuzzled him again, and brought her head up a little. Hardly moving from where she was, she placed a gentle but sure kiss against the corner of his jaw. His whole body filled with heat.

He drew her sharply back, and couldn't stop himself from kissing her hard. She gave a tiny whimper, then clasped his cheek in her hand. They both seemed desperate with the same emotion at that moment, and seemingly by the same will, she minimally lifted her legs from the bench while he wrapped one arm under her knees to pull her onto his lap. She used both hands to tilt his head back, claiming his lips sweetly.

Zoro was gladly sinking into the incredible feeling of having her take the lead when he felt a hot droplet reach his cheek. His eyes opened. Sure enough, though she still softly kissed him, tears dripped down her cheeks again. He pushed her back.

"You moron. What are you forcing yourself for?"

She shook her head vehemently. She met his eyes with a look of conflict on her face, then hesitantly mouthed the word, "Happy."

Zoro swallowed. "Is that true? You better be prepared for the consequences if you're lying. Mainly, that I won't stop unless you pull a knife on me. You might even have to cut something off."

In answer, she merely drew his face up and kissed him deeply.

"You're a sneaky bastard," his deep voice rumbled against her lips.

She shivered, and in a bold move that seemed to take all her courage, she drew up one of his large hands and placed it on her chest. With the narrowness of her body, his hand couldn't help but feel the softness of her breasts, and they both blushed. She looked into his eye, and her lips formed the words, "Like you."

Zoro swallowed. "Well, shit."

Zoro his other hand through her hair and dragged her into a deep, passionate kiss. She moaned over his lips, sending tingles up his spine. He spread his fingers out over her chest, feeling her collarbone, sternum, her loud heartbeat, the swift passage of air through her lungs, and the softness of her breasts. She seemed to grow weak with sensation, and on his lap her thighs shifted in a way that made him blush and gasp.

"Hey," he asked her. "Have you ever done this before?"

She looked hesitant. To his dismay, she nodded slightly, then pointed to herself, drew the character in the air with her finger and mouthed, "Kunoichi."

He sighed loudly. "Fuck, shit, hell."

Her gaze lowered, and her touch on his shoulders loosened. He could see what was going on in her mind. He grabbed her face in his hands.

"Okay. Have you ever done this with someone you liked?"

She blinked. Hesitantly she shook her head.

"Good. Then we're even."

Saying this, he pushed her onto the bench and resumed kissing her until she lost her breath. She clung to him, and though several more tears passed down her cheeks, she didn't seem to want to let go. In answer, he ran his hands up her thighs, causing her to moan loudly, then wrapped them around his waist. This simple action completely changed the situation for both of them.

Simultaneous gasps escaped both their lips, as the hottest parts of their bodies touched, separated only by a few layers of cloth. Zoro panted for a moment, but in spite of his iron will, his body was inexperienced with these sensations, and he could only hold back for so long. Gritting his teeth, he began to roll his hips against her.

She cried out, fingers gripping his hair in desperation. Sweet whining noises like a small dog rose from her. She let these sensations roll over her a few times, then in a move that nearly killed him, she started meeting the movements of his hips with her own.

"Ugh…!" Zoro grunted, wrapping his arm around the small of her back. He was both desperate to feel that again and desperate not to, because he could tell he could not take very much of this.

Gijun seemed to understand this, but not care. She tilted his head and hesitantly pulled his earrings and earlobe into her mouth. Electricity ran all up Zoro's spine, and the next thrust of his hips was forceful enough to make Gijun throw back her head and gasp. They exchanged another desperate kiss, and the meeting of their hips grew more intense.

"Ah…wait…" Zoro panted. "I have to stop. I'm already-"

She grabbed his face and thrust her tongue deeply inside his mouth. He growled, grabbing onto both her hips and thrusting hard against them. The tenor of her gasps rose, and her body grew tense and still. Zoro thrust in exactly the right way, and she threw back her head with a howl, her legs wrapping around him.

Zoro could almost feel her orgasm washing over him, and he couldn't hold back anymore. He sank his teeth into the pale skin of her neck, and came so hard he almost passed out.

For a long few moments, they lay there, panting and twitching. Zoro's body was awash with sensation. He couldn't think clearly for a long time. This process was made even more difficult as Gijun's tongue slipped inside his ear. He bit back a gasp, unconsciously tilting his head to give her better access, amazed that his lower body was already coming back to life again.

But Zoro decided things were a little one-sided, so he sat up and ran his hands along her ribcage. She shuddered and her head fell back. He leaned down to kiss the small triangle of flesh visible on her chest, hooked his fingers into the fabric of her shirt, then murmured against her skin in his deep voice, "Can I?"

Gijun shivered and moaned out loud, and in response, she wove her fingers in his hair. He realized with a pleasant jolt that the back of his neck was actually quite sensitive.

But he obeyed and slowly parted her upper clothing, kissing his way down her chest as he did. He ignored her breast band briefly and pulled her shirt down all the way, so her hands were free. Then he wrapped both arms around her slender ribs and, without removing her breast band, took one of her beasts into his mouth.

Her whole body convulsed, and it took a moment for the moan to even form in her throat. Her hands alternately gripped his shoulders, the back of his neck, or ran though his hair. Her hips were idly moving against his body, yearning for him desperately. Not that he was much better off.

Most of what he was doing now was on instinct, since he himself (and he would never tell anyone this, apart from Gijun) was a virgin. But so far his instincts were not failing him. First of all, she was reacting incredibly well to the movements of his mouth. Secondly, he was blushing badly and his cock was coming back to life; he'd never had much interest in breasts, considering there were very few situations in which they were useful in sword fighting, but his body was reacting for him before his mind could catch up. Her breasts were so soft, and he could not resist massaging the other one while he teased this one with his mouth.

"Ngh!" she cried, arching her back.

He did not notice at first as she struggled through sensation to reach the tucked end of the band of fabric and pull it loose. With a trembling hand, she eventually pushed him back a little, and panted for a moment. Then, on one elbow, she started to unwrap the band.

Zoro only watching this patiently for a moment before he took over at a much faster rate. Gijun's head fell back again as she arched her back to give him better access. Finally, he slowed down for the last few layers. She watched him apprehensively as her breasts were revealed fully. Zoro could not help staring for a long moment. Both of them were going red, and Gijun briefly covered her face in her hand.

But Zoro would not stand for that, and removed her hand to kiss her deeply again. "Are you shy?" he whispered to her. She went bright red and looking away. He kissed her softly again. "I'm nervous as hell. Here." He picked up her hand and placed it firmly over his heart. He met her eyes. "See?"

She blushed for a moment in silence, and then nodded. Zoro returned his attention to her breasts. They were not overly large, but somehow their shape was driving him crazy. They were pert and begging to be touched. The narrowness of her frame made them seem ample, and her small chest rose and fell seductively with each breath. Hesitantly, he ran his hands up her ribcage to cup both breasts.

"Ahn!" Gijun cried sweetly, arching her back.

Zoro gritted his teeth. He could not hold back and pulled her nipple into his mouth again. She moaned and clung to him; it felt so good that she wanted him. But then, to his surprise, she pushed him back. Rather forcefully too. He was confused as she made him sit on the bench, then tilted his head away and gave him a painful kiss on his neck that left a dark red mark. He gripped both her arms with a grunt, waiting to see what she was doing before he tossed her back onto the bench and ravaged her breast with kisses again.

She began to kiss her way down his chest, biting him now and then. Though he never would have guessed this about himself, the occasional pain from her bites were actually turning him on even more. She caressed his chest and in the process, slipped his kaftan off his shoulders. At one point, she stopped to look up at him. She pointed to his katana.

He grunted his assent, somewhat appreciative of the fact that she hadn't touched them without his permission, and he remove his belt, katana and all, and set it aside. She quickly unbuttoned more of the green garment, and before he could wrap his head around what she was doing, over his black pants, she wrapped her mouth around his hard cock.

Zoro gasped and brought a hand to his hair in desperation. He'd never felt anything like this. There was still two layers of clothing in between her mouth and his cock, but he already felt close. Her mouth was so moist and hot, she hardly needed to move, but her tongue stroked him thoroughly, dragging out hot breaths and even the occasional moan.

Even though he came so recently, Zoro was already starting to get a little nervous. Was it just because he was inexperienced? If so, he was starting to wish he'd accepted a few more offers when he was younger. He'd so rarely felt lust, he never imagined he'd be so fast. And more than once, apparently. He felt her fingers reaching for his belt, and his heart flew into his throat.

Before she could remove his pants, he easily picked her up around the middle and laid her out on the bench again. This time, he quickly removed her clothes as well as his own, then held her gaze for a moment. She was panting, like him, and blushing. She swallowed, then lay her head back and curved her neck in a way that, for some reason, he knew meant that she wanted him to continue. He felt a shiver run up his spine.

He caressed her thighs, then deeply kissed one. She shivered and her hips moved impatiently. He was nervous now, because he'd really never done this before. He touched her sex gently. She moaned and shivered. He ran his finger up and down her, and happened to press a somewhat raised area toward the front. Her back arched and she yipped like a fox. He blushed.

He pressed that area again, and she moaned, her hips rising to meet his touch. As he got these responses from her, he noticed that she was getting wetter. He knew enough to know that that was a good thing. But he wanted to see if he could find more good spots, so he moved downward again, and slipped one finger inside her. Her hands were gripping the fabric of the bench off and on, looking for release. But somehow, he didn't want her passion wasted on the bench, so he put her hands on his shoulders. Every time he felt her fingernails bite into his skin, it sent heat flooding through him.

He experimented with different ways of moving his finger inside her. She didn't seem to dislike any, but one time he happened to curve his finger up and press that area on the front with his thumb at the same time, and all of a sudden her hips rose, her fingers bit into his skin, but most amazing, the walls inside her convulsed around his finger. Then she lay back, panting and looking dazed.

He bent down over her. Starting to move his hand in her again, he whispered onto her lips, "Was that good?"

She started panting again, looking into his eyes with clear embarrassment, but she nodded. Then she did something that nearly did him in. Though still trembling, she reached up to his chest. Onto it, she drew one simple kanji with only two strokes: "insert". Zoro went bright red, partly hoping that his blush drained some of the blood from other places, because he was in deep trouble already.

He gritted his teeth, looking down at her. "You…damn it."

Carefully, controlling his breathing, he replaces his fingers with the tip of his cock. She twitched, her breathing uneven. Feeling like he had some control over the situation, Zoro calmly breathed out, then he slowly pushed his way inside her. Her back arched and her hips kept twitching against his own. But more than anything else, he could feel the wet hotness surrounding him, twitching every time he moved. He lost himself for a while, even though he was barely moving.

When he was inside up to the hilt, he looked up at her face. She looked somewhat disbelieving, still convulsing with feeling.

"Are you okay?" he murmured.

With a somewhat troubled look, she mouthed the word, "big".

He blushed a little. "Really?"

She nodded vehemently.

"Is it bad?"

She shook her head vehemently.

He smiled in spite of himself. "Okay. In that case, I'll start moving, all right?" She nodded, biting her lip and curling her fingers around the back of his neck. Zoro shivered, then he sighed. "Damn it. Don't get your hopes up. I'll definitely make you come again, but I'm already-"

Even as he said this, he felt her walls tighten around him and she threw her head back. This time she was totally silent. But a moment later she relaxed, panting, and he was sure.

"Jesus…did you…again?"

She blushed heavily and made one minimal nod.

"Well…how many…?"

She closed her eyes looking very embarrassed, but hesitantly she held up a hand. Four fingers.

"Seriously?! When?!"

She covered her face in total mortification, but he quickly kissed her to make her stop doing that. He shifted slightly, making them both gasp. Then he said, "No, I'm happy. Come a lot more. And I know it's not easy, but tell me if you want me to do something different."

With this, he licked her ear. Another shuddering moan rose from her. He could be wrong, but when he looked at her face again, she seemed more relaxed, and still passionate, but also somehow happy. Warmth flooded into his chest.

He started to slowly roll his hips against hers, mostly changing the angle rather than the depth. But every part of her that could seemed to wrap around him, warm cries issuing from her mouth. Now and then he swallowed them up between his own lips. The vibrations made his heart race.

He gradually increased the pace. Her hips were perfect at finding the rhythm to meet his own. He stopped being able to control his breathing, thrusting inside her until he found a pace that was meeting his desires. Sure enough, it felt so good, he knew he could not last long. But then, the thing that was finally too much was when he happened to look up.

As before, she was gasping passionately and her face was both lustful and affectionate at the same time, but for some time now he'd noticed pauses between her gasps. They weren't rhythmic, and sometimes quite a while passed between them. When he looked up, he found out why. Over and over, as her passion built, she was mouthing a word. No, not a word.

Zoro's blush exploded over his face.

Zoro. Zoro. Zoro.

He gritted his teeth as passion swept across him. She knew he couldn't hear her. She was saying it anyway. Saying because she couldn't stop, because he was making her feel so good.

"Gijun!" Zoro gasped, and he wrapped her in his arms.

"Ahh!" she cried, arching her body against his as they both tensed.

As the best orgasm he'd ever had washed over him, her walls continued for some time to twitch randomly around him, making it seem to go on forever. It took Zoro many moments to put his sanity back together. Even then, his body was still so full of pleasurable energy, it took some more time to calm down. Eventually, he rested his head against her chest. He kept most of his weight on his elbows, since he knew how heavy he was, and she was so slender.

She wove her fingers in his hair, then made him blush again by kissing his forehead. Without thinking, he pulled her closer. Then he thought he wanted to rest fully, so he shifted around her so now she was laying on top of him, and he on his back. They both inhaled sharply with the movement. He was still inside her.

She smiled down at him, then slowly extricated herself. They both sighed heavily and she rested her full weight on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt so good in his life. Her head was resting on his shoulder, so he stroked it and then smelled her hair. He'd never known why men smelled women's hair. He still didn't know why, only that it felt good and he wanted to do it again.

He also imagined at this point that other couples might have some pillow talk, but even if they could, neither Zoro nor Gijun were the type who liked to talk during these times. As with many taciturn people, they were both very sensitive to people's energy, and after doing something like this, they were doubly likely to know what the other was thinking.

As such, without any words exchanged between them, Gijun picked up Zoro's kaftan from the floor, covered both of them with it, and they both fell asleep for several hours. Surprisingly, Zoro woke first. The first thing he noticed was that someone else's body heat was making him very comfortable. The next thing he noticed was that his feet were cold.

He blearily opened his eyes, and then was instantly awake when he saw what was resting on top of him. Gijun was still asleep, and at some point, had taken one sleeve of his kaftan and wrapped it around her nose and mouth, as if she wasn't herself when her face was bare. The rest of her, just like a little fox, was curled up on top of him, in the most comfortable way for the maximum amount of warmth. His cheeks gained a little color, but more importantly, his chest ached almost painfully, it was filled with so much happiness.

He wrapped her tighter in his kaftan and in his arms, so she could have as much warmth as she wanted. He was about to go back to sleep when he spotted something on the floor. His eyes widened. He had a very bad feeling about this.

Could it have been there the whole time? That was the ideal scenario. It was unlikely though, since he was sure he would have noticed it, not to mention stepped on it. But slowly he came to realized that he would have to accept the fact that someone else had come in here and seen them like this.

With this knowledge, he swallowed. He reached over to pull it closer and see what it was. First of all, it was some onigiri. That, in itself, was terrifying. To answer that terror, there was a note attached. Zoro's face went dark and stormy. The note went thusly:

"To the SCUMBAG MARIMO,

These are for Gijun-chan, NOT YOU.

These are to help her recover from your asshole behavior.

If her blood sugar drops and she gets anemic

because of you being a dick, I will…"

Lengthy profanity here.

"…so just as long as you know that, fine.

Lastly, two things. First, your sleeping face looks

even more like a gorilla than your normal face.

Second, I only came up here half an hour after you did.

I don't know why I'm surprised, but you really

need to work on your stamina. That's all."

The bottom of the note had a simple drawing of Sanji with a big grin on his face. Zoro crumpled the note slowly as his whole body shook with probably the biggest, darkest rage he had felt in his entire life. Sanji would die.

But…

He glanced down at the sweet sleeping face before him, and color touched his cheeks again. Maybe in another ten minutes.


	12. Chapter 12

Note: "Bushido" = lit. "warrior's code", a rough set of moral, spiritual and even aesthetic guidelines supposedly followed by all samurai. In feudal Japan, a warrior was defined not only by skill, but also by morality and strict adherence to one's own personal values. For example, one might look it up in a dictionary and find an entry, "Bushido. See: Roronoa Zoro." :)

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 12

Problems for Zoro and Gijun began the next day. First of all, only one of them was aware that their relationship had changed. Even that person was not sure what it was now. But there was a much more serious problem.

Zoro and Gijun both started the day early, so she was already awake and dressed when he came up to do his exercises. She smiled a little as he came up, then rose started to leave so he could practice. Zoro frowned, feeling a strange uneasiness. He caught her arm, pulled her close and kissed her forehead. She blushed, and he was rewarded with a soft and private smile, then she left.

Zoro watched after her for a while, and didn't realize as he started his training that his mind was wandering even as he began familiar movements. Suddenly, a gull's call outside the window snapped him from his reverie. And then he nearly dropped the weight he was holding from shock. Him? Distracted? This was…much worse than he imagined.

The problem he'd been struggling with before the encounter with Gijun's tormenter, he had forgotten in a moment of brief joy. He knelt and placed the weight on the ground, covering his face. What was he thinking? It wasn't as if that problem had disappeared. Quite the contrary, it had obviously gotten worse. The fact was, love was not good for swordsmanship.

And frankly the worst part was how easy it was to abandon that idea. What if I can work past it? What if it's only temporary? Thoughts like these swirled around his head and eventually came against his biggest question, one he still did not dare ask himself. And yet the fact that his mind was even touching it was proof he had already gone too far. He had to do something.

Gijun had her own problems, though not quite so serious. Of course, they were serious enough to her. Gijun didn't have a very good concept of romance, nor of puritanical sexual relationships, which was the main reason she wasn't aware that her relationship with Zoro had changed. But love she understood very well. It was probably a good thing Zoro didn't know this, but Gijun would not say she was in love with him. She certainly liked him, and that in itself, the fact that she would go out of her way to tell him, was a major event for her. But she was starting to wonder exactly how deeply she did feel about him.

Once she reached the deck below, she stood quietly for a moment, then placed a hand over her chest, where she still held her remembrance. Her only companion for her six years of silence. The person she had sworn her life to. The fact that she died had made little difference to Gijun for a long time. And unfortunately, in the same way that Zoro could never abandon swordsmanship, there was a wall inside her that said she could never be allowed to love anyone else. To do so would be the worst betrayal to Otsuyu. Even if the person herself wouldn't mind.

That day, there was nothing in particular to do, so Zoro and Sanji ended up in a fight. Out of boredom, mostly. No one really paid much attention, until suddenly Zoro was thrown into the railing near the stern. Everyone who saw, including Sanji, held the same ridiculously surprised expression. Zoro himself looked sufficiently bamboozled. A long few moments of silence passed.

Luffy, sitting on the second floor railing, tilted his head. "Zoro? Did you eat something funny?"

Zoro scratched his head in severe embarrassment which he tried to hide as he rose and dusted himself off, sheathing Kitetsu.

Sanji was staring slack-jawed at him. "Uh…sorry. I didn't think I kicked you that hard, but…I must have got stronger without realizing…"

"Shut the fuck up! I don't need sympathy from you!" Zoro snarled. "It's lack of sleep," he said, firmly. "I'm taking a nap."

In total silence, everyone watched him climb the rigging and the ladder up to the crow's nest, then slam the hatch behind him. Robin, who had been reading under the tree, was particularly interested. She may have smiled a little.

"Gijun-chan," she said, beckoning her over.

Gijun had been sitting quietly in the grass, watching the waves, but she approached Robin when she called.

"Do you know anything about that?" Robin pointed at the crow's nest.

Gijun frowned, following her gaze. She met Robin's eyes again, obviously unsure.

"Did you have sex yesterday?"

Gijun nodded.

Robin had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "You're always so honest. But I would avoid that in future, at least on this particular topic, or I'm sure Zoro will be upset."

Gijun nodded again.

"But nothing strange since then?"

Gijun shook her head.

Robin sighed, gazing up at the crow's nest for a time. As insightful as she was, she already had a pretty good idea what was going on. "Interesting," she murmured, mostly pondering how she could amuse herself with this. Then her gaze turned back to Gijun and she thought for a while. Her amusement faded a little. "Gijun," she said.

The girl looked up at her.

"If you don't mind answering a personal question, what is it you want from Zoro?"

Distant melancholy came into Gijun's eyes, but it faded quickly. With an indifferent expression, she merely shrugged.

Robin sighed, knowingly. "I was afraid of that. I feel sorry for both of you at this rate. Well, well, we do have some problems, don't we?"

Gijun seemed confused by this.

"Never mind, my dear," Robin said, stroking her hair. Gijun blushed and closed her eyes appreciatively, like a dog being petted. "In any case, I'm happy that you trust us enough not to wear your hood anymore. You have such soft, beautiful hair. It's nice to see every day."

Gijun's blush increased, but she also smiled a little.

"If you can, would you like to stay with us forever?"

Gijun nodded without a moment's hesitation.

Robin smiled, feeling a slight twinge of longing in her chest. She leaned down and kissed Gijun's hair. "I'd like that too."

Gijun closed her eyes again briefly and reddened further.

Suddenly there was a loud clang from the crow's nest. Robin looked up. Zoro was in the window, with Wado between his teeth, looking even more demonic than usual. Despite the great distance, he stared straight at Robin long enough for her to get the message.

She did so within an instant but held his gaze for a time. Then she smiled. She waved, then leaned down and stroked Gijun's hair again. The sword dropped from his mouth in shocked outrage, but he had no other reaction that particular time except to turn back around and produce another loud clang.

Well, Robin didn't have to work very hard for her amusement that time. But she was genuinely a little concerned. These two people, she thought, would make an excellent couple if not for their mutual stubbornness. It wasn't that they couldn't communicate, they were surprisingly good at that. It was that neither of them ever thought to talk about things whenever they had a problem. Rather, they were both the type who let problems build until immediate action was necessary, and in love that was a risky strategy. Perhaps there was a way Robin could enjoy herself and also give them a hand. Of course, the enjoyment came first.

Unfortunately, fun though it was, baiting Zoro like she just did wouldn't solve this particular problem. For that, an expert was needed.

Later, Robin called Sanji into the aquarium for a chat. She had explained her appraisal of the situation in a few words. Currently, the cook was on his knees, banging a fist on the floor with tears coming out of his eyes he was laughing so hard.

"So that's what it was!" he cried, in a voice broken by laughing too much. "I wondered about that blank look on his face. So he was just smitten! Ahahahaha!"

"Sanji-kun. It's a bit more serious than that, so control yourself please."

Sanji sighed and got to his feet, wiping away a tear. "I'm sorry, Robin-chan. I don't really get why it's so serious, but I'll be good, I promise. So? What's troubling you about it?"

Robin folded her arms. "Hm. It's a delicate matter. It may resolve itself on its own, but somehow I don't get that feeling. If things are left like this between them, I fear two hearts may be broken and neither raise a finger to stop it."

Sanji's merriment faded a little. "Two? You think…she cares about him that much?"

Robin smiled with interest. "You don't seem concerned about our Kenshi-san's feelings."

"Fuck him."

Robin chuckled, then her gaze grew distant. "Gijun-chan…is a mystery. I'm sure she cares for him, though I doubt she will ever say how much."

Sanji cast his gaze aside.

"But that problem may be solved with time. I fear Zoro's is more urgent, and more serious."

Sanji frowned. "Zoro? What problem does he have?"

Robin merely tilted her head with a smile.

"You mean…the spacing out? I can understand it's an inconvenience, but…" Then slowly, his nearly three years of knowing that man extremely well started to kick in to Sanji's reasoning power. "Oh, right. His bushido thing."

Robin nodded. "Not to be taken lightly."

Sanji sighed, taking a drag. "I guess. But you don't mean he'd actually break it off for a reason like that…?"

Robin smiled and said nothing.

Sanji stared at her. "Even he isn't that heartless, come on."

"True, in fact quite the contrary. Zoro has on numerous occasions proven how his nakama are more important than his own life. The word 'heartless' would hardly be apropos. 'Determined', however, yes."

Sanji frowned, biting his lip. "I hate to admit it, but I normally find that fucking admirable in him. But if he hurts Gijun because of it, I'll kick his head in."

"Excellent. In that case, you'll talk to him?"

"Say again?" came out of Sanji with an incredulous tone and very unattractive sneer.

Robin smiled at him. "If anyone is the authority on love on this ship…who would that be if not you, Sanji-kun?" Her tone became low and seductive.

"Robin-chan!" Sanji said happily, clasping her hands as his eyes turned to hearts and his legs became jelly.

"So you'll talk to him?"

"Whatever you say!" he said, then suddenly returned to normal. "Wait…maybe not," he said, thoughtfully. "It's that marimo bastard we're talking about. I doubt words are going to get very far with him."

"Oh? You have another suggestion?"

Sanji folded his arms and shifted his filter around in his mouth. "Maybe. We need to convince him that love doesn't make you weak, right? So maybe…" He sighed heavily. "But anything we try is a long shot. Shitty stubborn bastard."

"Unfortunately I agree with most of that. Nevertheless, for Gijun-chan's sake, it must be worth a try, right?"

Sanji met her eyes with a reluctant smile. "For Gijun-chan's sake," he agreed, and they shook hands.

Unfortunately, things were progressing just as they feared. Perhaps even worse, since they had not anticipated a problem on Gijun's part.

That same afternoon, Zoro had been lost in thought at Sunny's stern, watching the waves, when he happened to glance over and see Gijun stepping up to climb the rigging. He watched her climb for a time, and if she noticed him she gave no sign. Eventually, she disappeared inside the crow's nest.

Weirdly, Gijun slept almost as often as Zoro, though she tended to be a little more considerate about the timing, and much easier to wake. But right at that moment, Zoro's worries were at their height. He was not normally the sort of man to doubt his instincts. This was the first time he remembered dilly-dallying so much over a decision. He'd known all along what it would be, but he procrastinated, for precisely the reason he was having troubles in the first place. As this thought occurred to him, he found his resolve.

He climbed the rigging, and paused for a moment to gather himself. He knocked on the hatch, and waited before realizing there was no way she could answer. He entered. She was sitting on the bench when he entered, undoing the wraps around her forearms. She of course didn't ask, but merely looked with some curiosity as he came in and closed the hatch. He did not sit down. Without really looking at her, he folded his arms and closed his eye.

"I need to talk to you."

She realized it was serious, so she stopped what she was doing and placed her hands on her knees, watching him and waiting patiently.

"I want to stop this."

Silence obviously. He opened his eye. She merely blinked at him expressionlessly, then to his frustration, tilted her head slightly.

He snarled. "This relationship."

Again, no significant response.

"What?" he demanded.

She thought for a moment, then gestured in between them and tilted her head again.

Zoro's jaw dropped. "Wh-…" And suddenly, though it shouldn't have bothered him, an intense ache passed through his chest. In a softer tone, he murmured, "Are you asking 'what relationship'?"

She paused, then nodded.

Zoro's jaw tightened. What…was that supposed to mean? What did she think had gone on between them? Much though he knew it was completely out of character for him, he had to ask himself, had what happened between them meant nothing to her?

"You didn't think anything had changed between us, did you?" he muttered, bitterly.

She didn't respond. He took that for a 'yes'.

He stared at the floor for a long time, then slowly took a seat opposite her. This shouldn't change anything, he kept telling himself. Why did it matter what she thought of him, when he had come here to break it off anyway?

"As I recall, you did say you liked me," he murmured, against his better judgment.

She nodded.

"I see," he covered his face briefly. "So it was just my mistake, huh? You didn't mean it like that, did you?"

She frowned, suddenly looking troubled. Perhaps she was starting to understand what he meant. She held her hand up and drew the character for "truth".

He scratched his head. "Yeah, I know. You don't lie. You also don't seem to understand why this matters."

She looked at him, concerned but still confused.

He sighed. "Well, that solves that, I guess. Basically, we're not having sex anymore, if that's something you can understand. Sorry to intrude," he added tartly, then rose.

He was about to reach for the hatch, when suddenly something tugged at his arm. He met Gijun's eyes to see more emotion than he expected. So that part matters to her? he thought bitterly.

"What?"

More hurt flickered in her eyes, and she thought for a moment. She briefly placed her fingertips on his chest, as she seemed to like to do. Then softly, she traced the character for "pain" and tapped his chest, looking at him with pity.

Zoro barked out a sarcastic laugh, pushing her hand away. "That's something I don't need. Pity from someone who rejected me. Back off."

This seemed to shake her a little, because she obeyed. Briefly, anyway. He started to turn again, but with unusual force, her hand grabbed him again. He looked back at her with anger this time.

She pointed at him, then at herself, and tilted her head with a significant look in her eyes.

Zoro looked coldly at her for a moment. Then he gave a cruel smile. "How do I feel about you?" She nodded. "Fine. You want to know? I hate you." Her eyes went wide in a shock he did not fully understand at the time. "But that shouldn't matter to you, should it?"

Her grip on his arm loosened. He turned and left down the hatch, didn't look back, the bitterness of his expression unable to hide the pain in his heart.

Gijun stood frozen for a few moments. Her arm gradually lowered. Then she sank to her knees on the floor. She stared listlessly for a moment, then raised her hand before her, looking blankly at her palm. She did not even notice at first as tears first dripped and then flooded down her cheeks. Gradually, she covered her eyes with one hand, and drew the other to her chest, her body bending forward as if to shield herself from this unfamiliar pain.


	13. Chapter 13

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 13

Zoro didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want anyone to know what was going on inside him, and he didn't want to think about it anymore. It was done. Moaning about it now wouldn't do any good. Somehow he seemed to get his hands on more sake than Sanji normally allowed him, and spent his time sitting on top of the bathhouse at the stern.

Robin and Sanji did have a vague plan, but it was complicated when they realized Zoro and Gijun's behavior had changed. Zoro was even more distant than usual, but of course did not say or do anything to suggest anything was different. Gijun, on the other hand, generally walked around with a look of vague shock on her face, and Robin realized that the poor girl was completely unfamiliar with the feelings she was having now. She might not even know why she was feeling this way. It made Robin's heart ache with sadness for her, and also not a small amount of anger.

But her anger paled in comparison to Sanji's. As soon as he picked up Zoro's unusual bitterness, in addition to the shocked confusion in Gijun's eyes, he had to restrain himself from hurting Zoro seriously. As such, though Robin cautioned him intently against it, Sanji couldn't hold himself back, and went to the stern one day to confront Zoro.

He jumped easily onto the roof of the bathhouse and stared at Zoro's back as he sat there cross-legged, facing the ocean. Zoro made no sign to suggest he had noticed Sanji's arrival. Sanji's glare passed to the three whole empty bottles of sake to Zoro's right, and then half full one he was resting on his knee. His eyes narrowed.

"Hey. Green bastard."

Zoro's head tilted minimally in his direction.

"Lend me your ear for a minute."

Zoro didn't move at first, then he took another drink and returned his attention to the sea.

Sanji's fists tightened inside his pockets. He flicked his used cigarette into the ocean and lit up another to calm himself down. "Firstly, I'll just ask, quite a large amount of sake has gone missing from the larder. I don't suppose you know anything about that?"

A moment of silence. Zoro took another drink, swallowed and sighed pleasantly. "No idea."

"Oh, well, that's assuaged one of my worries at least. I do so value your honestly," he muttered sarcastically.

"Don't mention it."

Sanji's expression darkened. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Zoro took another drink. "Yep."

"You like breaking innocent girl's hearts?"

Sanji could practically see the ripple of sudden rage pass over Zoro's body, and his head turned minimally in Sanji's direction again. "You talk like you have any right to have an opinion about that."

"My mistake. I assumed that caring about her was a good enough reason to want to protect her from getting hurt. What a radical concept."

Zoro slammed the bottle on the roof and glared darkly in front of him, unknowingly scaring Usopp half to death, who was showering below. "Mind your own business."

"I am, as a matter of fact. Who else is going to stand up for her, since you obviously won't?"

"Shut your mouth."

"Give me a reason. Do you intend to make right whatever you've done wrong?"

"I already have. It was wrong to start with, so ending it should surely count as 'righting it'."

"Don't fuck around!" Sanji roared, nearly dropping his cigarette out of rage. "There's no need to emphasize the fact that you and I don't see eye to eye, but foolishly I thought you had some decency in you." He took a breath to still his anger for a moment. "Enough. I did come here to beat some sense into you, but I can see I'd just be wasting my time." He could just barely see a snarl in Zoro's silhouette. "So I'll give up and just tell you this instead: Robin and I both feel the same about this. About the situation, and about Gijun-chan. Hopefully, she'll choose one of us to protect her heart instead of you."

That part seemed to make Zoro's rage cool with a trace of uncertainty.

"Robin and I both have experience in how to treat a lover, unlike some people," Sanji added, his tone gaining a hint of cruelty. He took a drag and blew smoke absently toward the ocean. "Not that we'd have to try very hard to do better than you." Zoro's hand tightened around the neck of the bottle. "Oh, and of course…I mean experience in all ways. Personally, I consider myself an expert with my tongue. Never had a girl last more than a couple of minutes. Usually less than one."

Sanji could hear Zoro's teeth gritting with rage.

"And I can't speak for Robin-chan, but I get the feeling she doesn't need anyone to tell her how to please a woman. What do you think?"

Zoro's knuckles holding the sake bottle were white and his hand may have been shaking with rage. Softly, he muttered, "She'd never stoop to someone like you."

Sanji immediately leaned down to speak cruelly in his ear, "And yet she stooped to someone like you."

Zoro bared his teeth as his jaw tightened.

Sanji slowly rose to glare coldly down at him. "Don't bother trying to fight for her. I'm sure an evening with me will remove all memory of the awkward touch of an inexperienced swordsman."

In an instant, Zoro drew Kitetsu and sank it deep into the roof. Again, Usopp nearly had a heart attack when he saw the blade come through the ceiling. "Stay away from me," Zoro growled.

"You don't need to tell me. I can hardly stand to look at you right now." He jumped down from the roof, and as he was leaving, called back, "I'm sure you realize how remote the chances are of you being able to take back what you've done. But just in case you were wondering, allow me to suggest that the time frame to do so is very short. So go ahead and enjoy drinking alone and trying to kill more brain cells. In the meantime, Robin-chan and I will be healing Gijun-chan's heart. See ya."

Zoro gritted his teeth, his hand on Kitetsu shaking, which he knew was dangerous, showing emotion in front of that sword. However, he merely stood, growled, and swung his blade once in a stroke that crossed all the way out to cut into the waves beyond. Again, looking through the window, Usopp was dripping sweat with his mouth hanging open. Zoro sheathed Kitetsu, taking another drink. As he turned to leave, one by one each of the empty sake bottles fell apart, sliced in half with surgical precision.

Some time later, Sanji sighed, holding his head, as he and Robin were having another conference. "…so that's what I said, but honestly, I don't know if that's going to make things better or worse."

"Hm," Robin considered. "Of course it's difficult to say, but I don't think you should chastise yourself now. You said what you felt, and things that needed to be said." She smiled at him. "We all value that passion in you, Sanji-kun."

Sanji melted with hearts in his eyes. "You fell in love with me again?"

Robin chuckled, then her gaze grew distant. "On the other hand, I do feel sorry for Zoro."

"For him?" Sanji demanded with incredulity. "Why, on God's green earth?"

She closed her eyes thoughtfully. "If I think about things from Zoro's perspective, if I thought I had earned the sweet Gijun-chan's love, only to find that she had never even considered me in that way, I would indeed be in a sorry state at this moment."

Sanji was silent for a time in agreement. "That's something I wouldn't ever want to feel." He sighed. "But the issue remains: how does Gijun-chan feel? If she was just after sex," he cleared his throat with a blush, "I can reluctantly take up the position. If she does care about him, but either doesn't understand or is denying herself, that's a problem in itself."

"I see. You think we should divide our efforts?"

"At least until we understand the situation better, perhaps. I can't say for sure, but I think I'll be able to coax some reason out of that shitty gorilla. What do you think, Robin-chan? Can you help Gijun-chan?"

She smiled serenely. "I will certainly do my very best. And if not, I'll be sure to comfort her appropriately."

A long moment of tense silence passed. "Robin-chan…"

"Yes?"

"Am I to assume this alliance is only temporary?"

More amusement entered her smile. "It would be a good assumption, yes."

"In that case, if this doesn't work…"

With barely a change in her expression, Robin's smile now grew dangerous. "I won't give her up so easily."

Sanji's lips pursed in frustration for a moment, then abruptly he blushed. "I'm strangely torn about that."

"I imagine you are."

"You'll take advantage of that hesitation, won't you?"

"In a heartbeat."

"I love the calculating Robin-chan too!"

Gijun had spent most of her time, since that shocking revelation from Zoro, trying to use logic to get around it, then failing as soon as her guard was down. By doing this over and over, she simply seemed lost most of the time. She never would have known what it felt like to find comfort in another person's arms during her life before, but Nami, and especially Robin and Sanji, were all there for her. She worried for her strength of will, when she was getting used to so much physical affection.

Still, no matter whose arms held her, she still longed for the heavily muscled ones which could encircle her easily; the ones that smelled of sweat and desire, but also warmth and courage. Every sensation that passed through her fingers, if it was not soft, green hair, felt meaningless.

Another source of confusion for her was trying to put a name to what she was feeling. She knew what love was. She's felt that before, and had no doubt as to what it was at the time. So, she reasoned, if she had doubt, it must not be love. Besides, these feelings were not exactly the same as they had been with Otsuyu. Her chest didn't ache when she saw him, instead it felt warm and excited. Her lust did not feel shameful, in fact, much though her heart raced to be close to him, touching him felt very natural. She did not pine to be apart from him, and felt very comfortable and at ease when she was with him, so it must not be love.

Yet, when he said he hated her, it had felt like her world went from color to black and white. Even thinking about it made her clutch a hand to her chest in torment. The air seemed less sweet in her lungs. She hardly tasted food or drink. She had a hard time concentrating. Most of all, she just felt frozen, and berated herself every moment for being unable to move on.

One day, Robin brought her into the aquarium and had her sit beside her, then after a time, lay down and set her head on her lap. Gijun was still embarrassed as usual, but her mind was elsewhere, so she obediently let Robin stroke her hair quietly for a time.

"Gijun," Robin asked her softly. "Why are you unhappy?"

Gijun didn't know how to answer. She only knew it was being hated that made her sad, not why Zoro's feelings in particular mattered to her so much.

Robin was quiet for a time. "Do you want Zoro to like you?"

Gijun nodded without thinking.

"Do you want him to like you more than anyone else?"

A tear dripped down over Gijun's nose and she nodded.

"Do you like Zoro more than anyone else you know?"

She nodded again.

Robin smiled, and stroked her hair for a time. "What I would give for such devotion," she murmured. Gijun glanced up at her curiously. Robin met her eyes with a complicated expression, and tilted her head kindly for a moment. "I'm curious about something. For a kunoichi, sex is merely a tool, isn't that right? No real significance."

Gijun nodded.

Now, abruptly, Robin shifted so that Gijun was lying on the bench and Robin on hands and knees over her. Gijun blushed heavily. "In that case, perhaps you won't mind indulging me in a little experiment? I know you're shy, but I'm sure you've been trained how to seduce women too, isn't that right?"

Gijun's blush deepened, and she nodded.

"Is it all right?"

Gijun swallowed, looking unsure. But after meeting Robin's eyes, she hesitantly nodded.

Robin smiled. "Then pardon me," she said, and opened the mouth section of Gijun's mask. At once, she clasped her face and swept her into a deep kiss.

"Nnh!" Gijun cried in alarm.

Robin's lips briefly parted to say, "Don't worry. I won't do anything bad. You stop me whenever you like."

Having said this, she tilted Gijun's head back and deepened the kiss. Both women moaned as Robin's leg pressed between both of Gijun's. Robin's breathing came faster and her cheeks were flush with feeling. Gijun seemed totally at a loss, unlike with Zoro where she readily participated, but didn't stop her. Robin's hand roamed up to squeeze her breast, and she yelped. Robin covered the sound with her mouth, then concentrated on drawing pleasure out of Gijun's tongue.

Gijun's resistance was fading as Robin coaxed out sweet feelings, but then Robin's hand curved around the small of her back. Suddenly, Robin thrust their hips together. Both women cried out, and Robin stuck her tongue inside Gijun's ear. Gijun's trembling was increasing, and her expression more and more troubled. Finally, another thrust of Robin's hips was all she could take.

With a small cry, Gijun pushed her back and slid several feet away down the bench. She was panting and wide-eyed like an animal, and looking confused herself by her own reactions. Robin observed her for a moment, then smiled ruefully.

"Well. I'm satisfied."

Gijun was obviously curious as to what she meant, but she merely stared.

Robin rested her weight on one hip and addressed Gijun gently. "You like sex with Zoro, you seem to enjoy it with me, but you still say no. Do you know why?"

Still panting, Gijun appeared confused, glancing aside. She obviously didn't.

"For example, do you want to have sex with Sanji?"

Gijun considered, and shook her head.

"Luffy?"

No.

"Nami?"

No.

"I think I'll stop there, because the other possibilities make me feel unsavory, but if you had the chance, would you have sex with Zoro again?"

Another tear dripped down Gijun's cheek. She nodded.

"Yes. Now, I'm not an authority on love. But I think that's a pretty good test. Another is this: even if you were not with him, even if it meant being hated by him, would you still want Zoro to be happy?"

More soft tears dripped down her face, absorbed as with many other emotions by her mask. She nodded with conviction.

Robin sighed with a relieved smile. "I'm very glad to hear that. You remember what I said once about being relieved that you were struggling?"

Gijun nodded.

"In essence, this is what I meant. Life is not about the past. Coming from an archeologist, you should believe me when I say so. Of course, the past is important. It's what makes us who we are. But human beings can only live in the present. Therefore, the most important choices you make are the ones that make you happy, here and now." Robin smiled at her. "That's not instructions, only advice from experience. Since I want you to be happy. I'll ask you one last question, and I think you know the answer by now: Gijun, do you love Zoro?"

Tears dripped gradually down Gijun's cheeks. Her expression grew tortured, and lowered to the floor. Then she hugged her knees up to her chest, and finally nodded. She sobbed, rubbed her eyes, and nodded again. Robin held her softly until her sobbing subsided, feeling a complicated mix of happiness and sorrow.

"My dear, this feeling is the most sacred in the world. Rather than fight it, cherish it. If you do it will come back to you a hundredfold."

Gijun merely sobbed and nodded.


	14. Chapter 14

Note: For anyone interested, a detailed description of Gijun's clothing at the end of this chapter.

…

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 14

Sanji may have been overly optimistic when he estimated his ability to change Zoro's mind. And even as he tried to, he realized unfortunately that he could not remember a time when Zoro had ever changed his mind, or regretted a decision. He was starting to get a little nervous.

Still, he kept up the fight. The rest of the crew, concerned but largely ignorant of the details, was starting to wonder why every spare moment between the two was spent barking out obscenities at one another, much worse than usual. Strangely, they rarely came to blows about it, though. Somehow, the atmosphere seemed a little too serious to be exchanging meaningless parries.

Gijun and Robin, Gijun's situation worked out in a single afternoon, watched these interactions passively.

"Hm," Robin murmured, as Sanji stalked Zoro to the stern, yelling at him. "I fear this tactic is not making much progress."

Gijun wasn't really sure what that meant, so she stayed silent. Suddenly, Nami ran out from the library, where she had been drawing her maps. Her gaze was fixed on the sky. She ran to the rail to lean over it and look at the sea. Her eyes widened.

"Everyone!" she shouted. "This is bad. We're too close to avoid it, we're going to hit a maelstrom! Worse than that, there are sea kings all around us! They're often drawn to these events, hoping to pick off ships that are trapped in them!"

Usopp, Chopper and Brook held one another and screamed, "Sea kings?!"

Luffy grinned. "Sanji! Sea monsters for dinner tonight!"

Sanji walked over, lighting up, and nodded. "No problem, Captain. But let's try and survive the maelstrom first."

"I don't see why we can't do both," Luffy replied with a bigger grin.

"Usopp, go to the energy room and fill up the cola!" Nami cried, as the sky started to darken and the seas grew choppy.

"Yes, ma'am!"

As he left, she said, "If we're lucky, we can catch one of the wider currents early, and use Coup de Burst to blast our way clear of it. We have to be careful, these currents are frighteningly fast, and the sea kings will take advantage of the smallest opening. Everyone, to your stations!"

They obeyed, and followed Nami's instructions. "Franky, take the helm and get us on a close haul headed North-North West! As soon as you see the ripples start to form, guide us into the widest one you can see! Gijun, Brook, luff the trysail! Chopper, Luffy, trim the topsail! Zoro, Sanji-kun, horse the mainsail for a close haul! Hang on, it's going to be rough!"

As usual, they all performed their actions with extreme speed and efficiency. Just as Nami said, fast ripples soon started to form in front of them, over an enormous area. They started to see fins and scales glittering under the surface, and the flashes of huge eyes.

"That's good, Franky!" Nami cried, as the wind started to pick up. "Now just-"

Suddenly, the ship was rocked drastically by the appearance of a sea leopard, who pulled on the ship toward itself and opened its jaws to reach for Zoro, the closest one. Zoro drew his sword, but not quite fast enough, since he had to keep one shoulder against the mainsail. However, as the jaws came down, something kept him from a serious injury. In a move that should have been impossible, Gijun had jumped from the trysail yard to the first floor deck in time to take the massive bite on her own shoulder rather than Zoro's.

Zoro was frozen in horror.

Gijun had avoided a fatal wound by planting both her boomerang knives in the neck of the sea beast. It was enough to stop him, but not kill him, and if he increased the bite force, she might well lose that shoulder. Gijun gritted her teeth, then sliced deeply across his throat. The sea beast roared and retreated a little. He started to come back when Gijun jumped onto the rail and let out an enormous roar, rivaling his own.

The sea leopard stared at her, his large eyes suddenly filled with terror. At that moment, they understood the upside of Gijun's devil fruit power. The leopard obediently sank back into the waves, staring at Gijun all the while.

"Franky! Coup de Burst!" Nami cried

"No need to tell me!"

Franky punched it, and they were blasted into the sky as sea beasts snapped their jaws and swirled angrily behind them. They flew for some time before they finally reached a safe distance and splashed into the open ocean again.

"Gijun-chan!" Sanji cried, running over to her.

"Gijun!" Chopper cried.

Gijun was holding her shoulder as blood poured steadily from it, but looking at Zoro. She looked him over briefly and tilted her head while vaguely gesturing to his body.

His mouth was hanging open. "No, I'm not hurt, you crazy asshole…"

She smiled sadly and nodded, closing her eyes with relief. Then she collapsed onto her knees.

"Gijun! I have to treat her right away! Sanji, please carry her to the infirmary!"

"You got it."

Sanji carefully lifted her into his arms and hurriedly followed Chopper. Zoro was left frozen for some time, looking at the pool of blood on the deck. He couldn't stop his heart pounding. He clenched his fists. Unable to fight the anxiety, he ran to the infirmary.

Sanji flicked a glare his way as Zoro entered and approached to stand over her, saying nothing. Knowing Gijun wouldn't care, Chopper didn't ask Sanji or Zoro to leave has he undressed her top half. Sanji did blush but was tactful enough to make no comment on seeing her breasts. Zoro felt anger surging in him, however.

"Oh, Gijun…" Chopper murmured in distress. "There are deep."

She nodded, the sweat on her forehead being the only sign that she was in any pain at all. Zoro remained silent and tried to control his anger until Chopper said she would be all right. Chopper winced at one point.

"Okay…Gijun…this is going to hurt."

Gijun nodded, closing her eyes.

Chopper had asked her to lay on her side, and now he reached for one of the wounds on her back. He struggled for a moment, and then removed a fang the size of a finger. More blood splattered onto the infirmary sheets. Sanji closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Zoro glared, his expression darkening even further.

Chopper quickly cleaned and stitched up each wound, then wrapped her shoulder profusely with bandages. Gijun now had her eyes closed and was looking pale.

Chopper swallowed. "This is getting dangerous. Gijun, what's your blood type?"

She seemed dazed, but made a cooing sound like a dove.

Chopper bit his lip. "XF. That means Zoro or Franky. Zoro?"

He nodded and removed the top half of his kaftan. Sanji looked annoyed with him.

"Zoro, you should lay down," Chopper said absently

"I'm fine."

"But-"

With force, "I'm fine."

Chopper looked distressed, but nevertheless he nodded and prepared the blood transfusion. Sanji watched Zoro in annoyance for some time. At length he asked Chopper, "Gijun will be all right now, won't she?"

Chopper nodded. "Assuming she doesn't reject the foreign blood, yes. She'll be fine."

Sanji nodded. He stood. "In that case I think I'm in the way. I'll trust you to take care of her," he added to Zoro with a meaningful tone.

"Mm," Zoro said, surprisingly obedient. Or perhaps just distracted.

Sanji raised an eyebrow at this, but nevertheless, he left. In a few moments, Zoro's blood was flowing slowly into Gijun. At length, she opened her eyes. She looked at him, but said nothing for a time. Finally, she turned away and closed her eyes.

"Um…she says, 'I'm sorry'," Chopper murmured, hesitantly.

Zoro gritted his teeth but tried not to let his anger show. "Good. You should be."

Her expression was distant for a time, but for some reason, he felt like it was somehow more intimate than usual. More clear. It made him forget some of his anger. Not all, however.

"I thought you finally understood what it means to be a nakama on this ship, but I guess I was wrong," Zoro said, bitterly.

Gijun shook her head.

Chopper looked uncomfortable, but he said, " 'It wasn't that.' "

Zoro felt a flicker of uncertainty pass through him. "Why, then? I wouldn't have died. I'm sure you know that."

For no reason that he could think of, a gentle smile appeared slowly on Gijun's face. She closed her eyes briefly.

" 'It's strange. I've done the worst thing I can think of, but it doesn't feel bad at all.' "

His frown deepened. "The worst thing? I agree it was fucking stupid, but I'm betting you've done worse things than that. I don't think that's what you mean. What then?"

Gijun's smile, as she kept her eyes closed, was complex and sad, but somehow so endearing he felt his heart might break from looking at her. " 'I have betrayed my mistress.' "

It took a long time for the meaning of those words to wash over Zoro. It came to him slowly, like the tide coming in at dusk. Even when he fully understood it, he did not believe it for a time. "What…does that mean?"

When she opened her eyes, several tears dripped down her cheeks. She said nothing at first. Then,

" 'I realized too late. I'm sorry.' "

She raised a hand to cover her eyes.

Chopper was starting to look very uncomfortable, but he continued, " 'I'm sure you want nothing to do with me. Yet I'm still grateful. Your kindness has changed me. Made me feel alive again. I have no words to thank you.' "

More tears dripped past her fingers.

Zoro's jaw was tightly clenched as he glared down at her. "You're still beating about the bush. Tell me clearly."

She glanced up at him with confusion.

" 'But…if you hate me, then…why?' "

Zoro growled. "Because I said so! Just tell me."

She smiled, sadly, another tear falling down her cheek as she met his eyes.

" 'All right. I'm afraid…I love you.' "

Then her face twisted with sadness and she covered her eyes again.

" 'I didn't want to tell you.' "

More tears dripped down.

" 'I'm a coward, so I was trying to avoid getting my heart broken a second time. It's strange, though. Even if I know it's hopeless, it's still an amazing feeling to be able to tell you.' " Chopper was blushing madly by the time he finished this.

Zoro was watching her in disbelief. His heart was soaring, even though he should have been feeling conflicted. All he wanted to do at that moment was hold her in his arms and kiss her tears away. Why couldn't he do that again?

He looked down at his hands. His swordsman hands. The ones he had sworn a promise on. The ones that had been unable to move on more than one occasion out of fear for this very person's safety. He gripped them tightly. Stubborn as he was, he didn't consider the possibility that one solution to this problem would be to accept his feelings and stop agonizing over them. Instead, no matter how hard he tried, he kept coming up against that wall that told him he would be losing something vital in himself if he gave in to his feelings.

"I see," he said, slowly.

Chopper looked at him rather harshly, surprised at his lackluster reaction.

Gijun's mix of happiness and sadness both started to fade. She merely seemed cold for a time. And after that, no one spoke until the transfusion was finished. Despite Chopper's cautions that he should rest for a while first, Zoro rose and put his kaftan back on once Chopper had put the small bandage on his arm. He started to go when he heard a small whinny from the bed.

" 'Thank you,' she says. Oh…and she says…'I won't bring it up again.' "

Zoro stopped for a moment, utterly torn apart by his feelings. However all he did was nod tightly, and then leave.

Gijun covered her eyes, her body shaking slightly with silent sobs, and then whined softly like a dog.

Chopper sighed. "You don't need to worry about that. About Zoro…I'm not sure what's going on with him right now, but I don't think it's anything you did to cause it." Chopper turned to his desk to start grinding some herbs. "I just hope he figures it out soon. I think you two go really well together."

Gijun hesitantly smiled, though somehow there was little hope in it.

…

For interested parties, a description of Gijun's clothing and appearance:

Firstly, Gijun's mask is made up of two parts; first is the one that she generally only takes off to clean or replace (she even wears it while bathing), which extends from the top of her cheeks downward. It is fitted, not loose. It is attached around her ears. It has a slit around the mouth, which is usually closed using two small hooks hidden in the folds of the fabric. It is difficult to open, but easy to close. Second is her hood, which is actually a scarf with a hood sewn in at the center. She then wraps the rest of the fabric of the scarf several times around her neck, and thus shields all of her face and head except the eyes.

The main part of her attire is a basic, brown shinobi shozoku. She wears light tabi socks and boots, which are fitted, and go up to a few inches above the ankle. The trousers are sturdy brown cotton, synched at the ankles, knees and waist. Strapped to her thighs are her twin boomerang knives. Traditional for Edo-period, she wears no underwear, only a breast band for practical reasons.

Her top half is the same brown cotton, a long-sleeved shirt which folds in front and tucks into her trousers, leaving a triangle of skin visible on her chest. She normally wears fingerless gloves, and wraps the fabric of her shirt around her forearms tight with thin strips of brown fabric. These are used to conceal small weapons, also messages, and can also be used as bandages or tourniquets if necessary. Most areas of her clothing contain pockets which can (and usually do) conceal weapons.

As for Gijun herself, I imagine a slightly more plain Monica Bellucci. Vaguely Italian features, olive skin, full lips and large eyes, but an ordinary nose and slightly unhealthy-looking mouth, since it gets so little sun. Her body type is basically rectangular, slender, masculine and slightly above average height. The narrowness of her waist and ribs are not visible in her baggy clothing. Her hair is ash brown and swept back from her face, layered down almost like the back of a bird's neck. All in all, she is meant to be someone I personally would go for in real life, but not in fiction. In other words, only extraordinary when one knows the person well.


	15. Chapter 15

The Howling Fruit

Chapter 15

After the incident with the sea leopard, things became very quiet between the interested parties. Gijun avoided most people, finding high, difficult-to-reach places to sit and be alone with the sea. Zoro trained every waking hour, and spoke to almost no one. Sanji and Robin observed with a hint of despair, having heard from Chopper what happened between them. They both knew Zoro. Both had little hope in the situation.

Then, something very small happened. Yet it set in motion a series of events that would change the situation drastically. It was very small. It could so easily have not happened. But fortunately for Zoro, it did.

Knowing Gijun never approached the crow's nest during the day anymore, Zoro went up one morning to do his exercises. He stepped inside, pretending that he hadn't glanced at Gijun's bedding as he almost always did, and was about to start training when he happened to glance out the window.

The sun was only just risen, and casting a warm, yellow glow to everything that faced it. At the very edge of the yard of the mainsail, in a place where only a cat could safely go, there sat Gijun. Apparently she had been watching since it started to rise. She was watching the sun with such a serene expression on her face. He knew that because, and he had no idea why, her mask was all down.

Zoro watched the face that was so dear to him for many long moments. Unconsciously, he took a step toward the window. Gijun noticed him, though of course he wished she hadn't, and turned. His heart jumped. This was only the second time he'd seen her whole face. At first she watched him expressionlessly as always. Then, something amazing happened.

It was so gradual he hardly noticed at first. But as the sun lit half of her face, warmth began to spread over it. Soon, she was smiling at him. Somehow, Zoro could tell that she was not even aware she was smiling. Despite the fact that he had been so harsh with her, she looked on him with such joy. She was not asking for anything. She was simply happy to see him. As a result, instead of guilt, which would have closed Zoro in on himself again, his heart felt a very welcome warmth.

He eventually glanced aside, and the moment was over. She turned back to the sunrise, pulled up her mask, and lightly made her way down to the deck, and Zoro began his exercises. For a time, neither of them thought about that moment again.

Things remained this way, in a kind of unsure peace until they reached the next island. It was a remarkably tame one, the only major worry being the man-eating moles which popped up now and again, but on this island there was a town. After Zoro cut the head off of a mole that was about to eat the mayor's daughter, they were welcomed into the town with food and drink.

The inhabitants of this island, called Mogura Manman, were all gregarious and immediately intimate, and they evidently enjoyed a good time, since none of the Mugiwaras considered Zoro's act to have been all that remarkable. Nevertheless, they accepted their charity happily.

Once Luffy had eaten himself into the rough shape of a meatball, and Sanji had all but passed out in the laps of two pretty local girls, people were starting to get drunk and rowdy. Over at the quiet table were Gijun, Robin and Zoro, though he was drinking heavily and looking sleepy.

Chopper came ambling over, obviously past his limit, and collapsed in Robin's lap. She chuckled and patted his back.

While Robin was distracted, the mayor's daughter approached and sat down very close to Zoro. Zoro glanced at her in mild irritation but didn't move away. Gijun watched silently.

The girl had obviously had a few and was flushed and smiling. "Mr. Samurai, sir…"

Zoro set down his tankard and wiped his mouth. "I'm not a samurai."

"Do you have a girl?"

At that, Robin became aware of the conversation and looked up from comforting the dazed little reindeer.

Zoro closed his eye and his face darkened briefly. When he opened it again, he was back to cool annoyance. "No."

The girl blushed further and smiled. "In that case, I'd like to give you a proper reward for saving me."

She shifted and sat in his lap. His eye widened, but he was not fast enough to stop her from doing what she did next, which was to capture his lips in a kiss. He sat in wide-eyed shock for a few moments. Some of the townspeople noticed and cheered and whistled. Finally, Zoro had had enough and pushed her back. She instantly giggled and ran off.

Sanji had seen the kiss and rose from the laps of the two girls. "Zoro, you complete and utter bastard! What are you-?!"

But Robin raised a hand to stop him. She and Chopper were both staring at Gijun. Soon, Sanji and Zoro, and also Luffy who happened to glance that way, were as well. Her expression seemed hardly to have changed, but steady tears were dripping one after another down her cheeks as she stared at the place the girl had been. Zoro's lips parted.

"Gijun…" Chopper murmured.

She turned her gaze to him. Her expression was still unchanged.

"Do you know you're crying?"

Gijun blinked. She raised a hand to touch her face. She stared for a while at the dampness on her fingertips. Gradually, sadness finally came to her face. However, she said nothing. She wiped her eyes and rose, then calmly left the building.

"Gijun…" Sanji murmured. After a moment, he got up and went after her.

They all watched for a time, Zoro clearly fighting the urge to go, and eventually Robin sighed. "I knew she cared about you, but to be honest I didn't think she cared that much," she murmured.

Zoro's fists tightened.

"Someone like her, I assumed her feelings would have at least cooled by now," she continued. "After all, she watched her mistress receive suitor after suitor. Yes, she did throw them all out, but somehow I can't picture her weeping every time."

Zoro closed his eye.

"Poor Gijun," Chopper murmured, though still not quite sober. "Maybe I should go talk to her too."

"Perhaps Sanji-kun will be best for now. I suspect what she needs now, neither you nor I can give her, Chopper," Robin added suggestively.

Zoro flicked a sudden glare at her. She held his gaze defiantly, then smiled.

Outside, Gijun walked until the sounds of the party were dim. She ended up near Sunny, and looked out over the sand and the waves as tears continued to drip down her cheeks. She heard and felt the presence of Sanji approaching, and allowed him to do so.

"Gijun-chan," Sanji murmured. He came close, and rested his hands on her shoulders from behind. He gently nuzzled her head. "You poor thing." He slowly wrapped his arms around her, which she did not object to. "You don't have to say anything. It's all right."

Hesitantly, she touched one of his forearms which rested on her collarbone. She closed her eyes and felt his comforting warmth, though it only reminded her that it wasn't the warmth she wanted. She breathed in. This was not the smell she wanted either. Sanji was tall and narrow of frame. His body was also lithe, where Zoro's was hard and unforgiving. Zoro's arms were so much larger and heavier, his chest wider. Gijun had only slept with him once, but she remembered everything. The memories kept torturing her, crushing her spirit with sweetness.

Eventually, she felt Sanji breathe in deeply, and start to speak. "I may be a poor substitute," he murmured against her hair. "But I would give you anything you wanted. You need only ask."

Gijun felt swept up in comfort, but she found it difficult to explain that she still wasn't attracted to any man other than Zoro. She merely closed her eyes and accepted his kindness.

Back in the banquet hall, Zoro had been staring into his drink without drinking it for some time. Robin and Chopper had gone to get some more food, and eventually Luffy sat down beside him.

"What's up, Zoro? You've got a long face," Luffy said, smiling.

Zoro took a breath in and out, but Luffy was one of the few people he shared most things with. "It's all right," he murmured. "I'll get over it soon."

"Hmm. I see," Luffy considered for a moment, watching the festivities. At length, Zoro sighed and took a drink, seeming to finally snap out of his malaise, though not very far. He and Luffy continued to sit in silence for a time. "Hey, Zoro."

"Yeah?"

Luffy paused for a long time. Then he turned to Zoro with a grin. "You think too much sometimes."

Zoro sighed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Hmm," Luffy started picking his ear. "I don't know. But I think you're plenty strong."

Zoro frowned. "What?"

Luffy shrugged. "Nothing. Just that I think I'm strong. And if I had a choice of having something and needing to protecting it, or not having it at all, I'd try to protect it." Then he grinned. "Right?"

Zoro stared at him. As usual, Luffy's straightforwardness had cut right into Zoro's soul and cleared all the clouds away. At length, he closed his eye and breathed for a moment. Then he nodded, and stood.

"Oh, you're going? In that case, send Sanji back on your way. We need more food!" Luffy cried, grinning again.

Zoro scoffed with a soft smile and made his way outside. He walked slowly at first, then with gathering sureness. He found Sanji holding Gijun on the beach and bit back his rage. He clapped him on the shoulder.

Sanji jumped a little, though from his bitter expression he had felt Zoro coming with his haki. He still held on to Gijun for a moment, though.

Zoro glowered at him. "Get lost, lover boy."

"Pots and kettles," Sanji growled, though he did release Gijun.

"Say that again to me later so I can kick your ass. I'm busy now."

Despite his complaining, Sanji glanced between the two of them and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He slowly turned and started to walk away, merely waving behind him to mark his absence.

Gijun looked very surprised to see Zoro. Strangely, though he felt nervous, and a little scared that she might have changed her mind since then, Zoro's resolve did not waver. He felt like he'd been trying to fight the current of a fast river all this time. And now he was laying back and letting it take him, wherever it went. It was frightening, but felt more natural than anything in the world.

They didn't speak for a long time. Emotions were starting to well up inside him, much though he wished they wouldn't.

"There are…some things I would like to say to you," he murmured softly, hoping she would not see the redness in his eye. "But before I say anything else, I would like to know one thing from you."

She blinked, clearly astounded that he was speaking to her at all, and hesitantly nodded.

"If…I were to say that I'd made a mistake," in spite of himself, he felt emotion forming in his throat. "…would you…still..."

Gijun had started to cry again. She still looked a little unsure, but she gently picked up his large hand and placed it in the center of her chest. Zoro stared in amazement. Her heart was pounding underneath his hand. A single tear dripped down his face. Then he merely gathered her up in his arms and held her tightly to his chest.

"I'm sorry."

Gijun nodded and sniffled.

Without telling any of the others, they went back to the ship. Silently, they went up to the crow's nest, and once there, they sat down and Zoro pulled her into his lap. For a time, this was how they stayed. Gijun pulled down her mask and rested her head against his to smell his hair, causing pleasant sensations to wash over Zoro. He tightened his arms around her, letting his ear rest on his chest to hear her breath and heartbeat. How could one possibly be so dear?

Seemingly of the same will, they both pulled back to meet one another's gaze. Gijun gently took his cheeks in her hands. She kissed his eye, where some wetness still remained. Then she drew up his face and they shared a deep, sweet kiss. Fire rose in the pit of Zoro's stomach. His sadness melted away into desire.

He took hold of her legs underneath the knees, rested his other hand in the center of her back and lay her down on the bench. Her body was so warm underneath his fingers, no trace of ill will in her expression. She wanted him badly, and that was not an unpleasant feeling. He climbed over her and resumed kissing her for a time. Her hands wove into his hair at the back of his neck, giving him very pleasant shivers. But gradually they moved down, and he briefly pulled back his arms as he realized she was slipping his kaftan off his shoulders.

She tilted his head and kissed his neck. He shivered. Her kisses went higher and she lightly bit his ear, evoking a soft gasp from him. He pulled her legs around his waist so their hips met, causing soft moans from both of them. Then he changed tactics and kissed her hard, and started to undress her too. As he did, she explored his bare skin with her fingers, tracing the lines of his shoulder blades and collar bone.

Zoro kicked off his boots and set his swords on the floor as he was kissing her chest. He removed what remained of her shirt and lifted her back a little so he could start to unwrap her breast band. She propped herself on her elbows and their eyes met. Zoro couldn't help but abandon his task for a moment to kiss her possessively yet again. Gijun wove her fingers in his hair again. She clearly wanted to take the lead like before, but he wouldn't let her this time.

Once her breasts were free, he squeezed them gently, then attacked them with his mouth. Though Gijun had remained more or less composed so far, when his mouth claimed her nipple, she yipped like a fox, throwing her head back. Zoro tried not to moan. He loved the feeling when her body tensed like that as she was feeling pleasure. Eventually, he moved farther down.

Zoro loosened and removed Gijun's pants and shoes. He left her socks on because (not that he would ever admit this to anybody, ever) he found tabi socks sort of a turn-on. He slipped out of his kaftan and pants, then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her solar plexus. Gijun's hips had started writhing beneath him. He smirked as he started to kiss down her stomach.

Gijun's breath grew fast and labored, and her body seemed unable to keep still. Once Zoro kissed her hip, and she was sure what he was doing, she let out a long, soft moan, arching her back.

Finally, Zoro wrapped both arms around her legs. He glanced up at her. "Has anyone ever done this for you before?"

Gijun hastily shook her head, biting onto the joint of her index finger in desperation.

Zoro smirked again. "In that case if I'm terrible, you probably won't know."

She looked down at him, panting and merely mouthed silently, 'Zoro'.

He swallowed. But Zoro was a man of conviction, and when he decided he would do something, he would do it. True, he had no idea what he was doing. So he would just have to figure it out.

To start, he gently parted her labia with his hands. She was already trembling. He experimentally licked her. Much beyond his expectations, and anything they had done together so far, Gijun wailed and her whole body tensed. For many seconds after, she was still panting hard.

Zoro blinked. "Should I stop?"

She shook her head with conviction.

He gained another smirk. The last time they had sex, he had given her pleasure with his hand, but for the most part it felt like she was guiding him. Now he felt a thrill from being able to make her lose her senses completely. He wanted to keep that up.

He tried some of the same tactics he had tried with his hand. He licked a trail up to her clitoris (he had snuck himself into Chopper's library and read up a little since the last time), and pressed his tongue into it.

Gijun nearly screamed and gripped his hair. The faint pain from that was making Zoro even hotter. He wrapped her clitoris in his lips and sucked on it. Gijun was briefly silent as he realized she was crying his name, then more moans poured from her. After that, his desire was so strong it was difficult to think clearly. He thrust his tongue inside her.

Brief silence as she cried his name, then wild dog yipping. Zoro's mind went blank. He fucked her with his tongue, thrusting over and over again as deep as he could, almost feeling as if it was his cock. Her fingers sometimes caressed and sometimes dug passionately into his hair. Her voice was probably loud enough to reach the shore, and her hips thrust unconsciously against his mouth.

He wrapped his arms around her legs again, and lifted her hips so he could thrust in even deeper. Gijun was losing it. In so much pleasure now that sometimes her voice wouldn't come. Her eyes fluttered and sometimes rolled back. Then finally her whole body tensed as her voice stopped, her fingers nearly drawing blood from where they rested on Zoro's shoulders.

Zoro felt her tighten around his tongue, and shivered with the sensation. Then Gijun's body relaxed, and she collapsed against the bench. She was putty in his hands now. He slowly drew his tongue out, shifted up and gently kissed her.

"How was that?"

For a time, she couldn't answer. Her eyes fluttered. Her lips moved a little but not with any intelligible words.

"Respectable?"

She blinked, then vaguely nodded.

"You ready for more?"

She swallowed, then did something so sexy he almost lost in then and there. Though she was obviously still dazed, she placed her arms around his neck, and lolled out her tongue, her eyes on his lips.

He couldn't stop. He ravished her with kisses, grasping her naked body tightly against him and thoroughly overstimulated by her burning kisses and the feel of her slender form against him. She shifted her hips so that her hottest place was softly rubbing against his cock. She was so warm and wet. He groaned against the hollow of her neck.

He drew back briefly. "Are you ready?" he breathed against her lips.

She whined, twining her legs around his body.

"Okay then. Try not to pass out."

He thrust inside her. He grunted with sensation, closing his eye tight. She cried out, arching her back and therefore pressing her whole body against him. He wanted to encourage that and unconsciously pressed his palm against the small of her back, pulling her harder against him.

Once he was inside her at last, the few anxieties that remained with him started to melt away. Without moving yet, he gazed into her sweet eyes. Much though she had opened up after meeting all of them, she was still so quiet and so fragile in many ways. The feeling to protect her was so strong, especially after what Luffy had said. Without saying anything, he gently kissed her on the cheek.

Gijun gave another one of those soft, heartbreaking smiles. She kissed him, then wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and shoulders. Without words, he could tell she was telling him she loved him.

His heart and body ached for her. Slowly he moved his hips. Gijun's composure slipped away. Her lips parted and she began to pant softly in his ear. He thrust again. This time, a little moan escaped her. Again. Her fingernails dug into his back. Again. She threw her head back and cried out.

And then Zoro cut loose, one hand still at the small of her back, he moved the other to her hip and started pounding mercilessly into her. But in fairness, Gijun's hips still desperately rose up to meet his own, in time with her passionate cries which drove him even harder.

"Gijun," he whispered in her ear.

She moaned louder.

Then, in a moment of sentimentality that he would deny later, even as he thrust deeply into her, he whispered, "Don't be anyone else's. Be only mine."

She clung to him, and he could see tears on her face from the corner of his eye. In the end, they made love sweetly, then fell asleep in one another's arms. When they woke, they made love again. Neither noticed that the ship was disembarking, and the rest of the crew knew better than to go up to the crow's nest at that particular time.

The longer they spent, naked in one another's arms, the more peaceful Zoro felt. He'd never felt better in his life than when she was sleeping on top of his chest, curled up against him as if it was the most comfortable place in the world. Love was scary for Zoro. If he'd fallen in love with Gijun and his feelings were not returned, he would never have even tried. Being loved by her turned torture into bliss.

And as for his sword fighting, he soon had a chance to test whether Luffy's theory was true. The next day (Zoro and Gijun had not emerged until the next morning), Robin and Sanji were standing at the stern and observing the very subtle happiness emanating from the two lovers, though they rarely interacted. Both viewed it with varying mixes of displeasure and relief.

Sanji lit up. "I take it the big gorilla figured something out."

"It would seem so. How disappointing."

"You're telling me," Sanji commented, bitterly. "But, well, I suppose our alliance has served its purpose. For Gijun-chan."

"For Gijun-chan, indeed," Robin said with a subtle smile. "I suppose I can forgo my plan about what to do if Zoro broke her heart again. Disappointing, but unavoidable."

Sanji gave her a sidelong glance with a good amount of fear. "Robin-chan, I will never get on your bad side.

She smiled at him. "Yes. Try not to."

Even as she finished this statement, a shark the size of a whale burst out from the water, its jaws aimed straight at Gijun at the bow. She had already drawn one of her knives, but both Robin and Sanji glanced at Zoro to see if resolving his emotional turmoil had worked to-

But it was not even an instant before Zoro was at her side, and at the same time, Gijun loosed her knife and Zoro fired a 36-pound cannon. The beast was shot through both eyes, and promptly crashed back into the water again. Gijun caught her knife as it came back around. She and Zoro looked at each other for a few moments.

Suddenly, they both burst into laughter, though Gijun's was that of a hyena. Zoro was doubled over with laughter, Gijun leaning on the rail. Both Sanji and Robin were a little horrified by this display.

"And what exactly is so funny that those two can't control themselves?"

Robin tilted her head and observed them for a moment. Gradually, a smile broke over her face. "I have absolutely no idea."


End file.
